Crimson and Violet
by BlueberryGoneRed
Summary: 2010: Cena has become a slave to Wade Barrett and The Nexus both inside and outside of the ring. When Wade's omnipresence begins to chip away at John's usually impenetrable exterior, the morals and beliefs of the wrestling industry's most resilient member threatens to crumble, and the only one who can save him is the man he's spent a decade clashing with.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is a re-post of my very first Centon fic that I wrote back in 2010 under a different account with the username BabyGotBurned (a.k.a. Master Centon). It was originally two novels, but I've combined them because readers don't like TO BE CONTINUED and I respect that shit.

The RAW storyline was Cena became a slave to Nexus (the Wade Barrett version, not the confusing later versions that no one really gave a shit about). At the time, Randy was kind of forced into this rivalry with Wade and pitted against Cena, which made for a lot of super intense Centon moments.

The storyline drifted off after Bragging Rights or Breaking Point or one of those PPVs that started with a B, where Cena was ref in a match between Orton and Barrett. Cena risked being "fired" if Orton won, but Cena's all honest and decent and was like (in a fake conversation that only happened in my mind), "F-you, Barrett, I got principles," and Barrett was like, "You'd risk your job, you twat?!" and Cena was like, "Yeah, man, I would," so he let Orton win and Cena was "fired" for like, all of about two minutes before he made some magical and kind of non-progressive return that involved purchasing a ticket and sitting in the audience to mess with Wade, which I think actually only messed with the fans because they were like, "OMGITSJOHNCENA!"

Then some other shit happened and Nexus got re-vamped _Horrible Bosses_ -style by CM Punk. Nexus later dissolved, Cena continued to be a hero, and Randy got suspended and divorced and injured...damn, for being the ultimate winner of this rivalry, Orton got hit with the baddest hats.

I've rated it M for the mature content throughout. Lots of drama and all that. I don't claim to own any rights to WWE. This story is for entertainment..or at least, it entertains me to write it.

1:

"Cena, come here and lace up my boots."

I clenched my fists and sighed heavily, thankful that I was facing away from Wade so that he couldn't see the bitter expression on my face. I didn't want him to know how much I truly despised him and his power over me.

"Cena! I'm talkin' to you!"

My rage dripped through my fingertips and fell away from me as I forced my expression to go blank and calmly turned to face him. Wade was sitting in a giant recliner that he had asked me to bring to him an hour before RAW was about to start. It was no small task to find the recliner, and getting it through the door, past security and up two flights of stairs to Wade's dressing room was less than appealing.

He leaned back and gave me a knowing smile, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. He hadn't so much as given me a simple thank you for the recliner. Now he was asking me to perform another humiliating task that he was completely capable of doing himself.

 _And he knew that I hated him for it._

"Fine, I'll lace up your boots," I shrugged, acting like it didn't phase me.

I got down on one knee and reached for his left boot. Wade suddenly jerked away and said, "I want double knots, Cena. I won't have none of tha' bow-tie lookin' shit."

 _Breath in through the nose, out through the mouth._

"Got it. Double knots," I repeated.

Wade smiled broadly and relaxed so that I could take his boots. I worked extensively to make every lace as tight and as articulate as possible. Wade took out his cell phone and pretended to be involved in a texting frenzy with the other Nexus members, but he would glance at me from time to time, as if he were deciding when would be a good time to launch his verbal onslaught.

 _He won't make his torment obvious._

I finished lacing his boots. Wade turned his feet left to right, observing my work. I stood up and waited, preparing myself for one of Wade's lame excuses as to why I would have to unlace his boots and try again, a task that would be difficult and stressful, considering that he had a live match in four minutes.

He sighed passively and returned his attention to his cell phone. I waited in silence, but he refused to acknowledge I was even there. I finally asked aloud, "Is that all?"

Wade looked up at me like I had rudely interrupted him. I lifted a brow, waiting for him to say something. Instead, he put his focus back on his cell phone, waving me away with his free hand as he mumbled, "Go on, then. I'm busy."

"Right. I'll see you later," I said sarcastically, but he ignored me.

I walked out into the empty hallway of the arena. No one was around, so I thought I would take my time in the silence before I had to join Wade at ringside. I looked up at the beams coming down from the ceiling as I walked, and I wondered how much pressure it would take for them to collapse.

 _Being a member of the Nexus was almost enough for me._

A loud thud came from behind me. I turned around just in time to be hit in the face by Heath Slater. David Otunga and Justin Gabriel flanked either side of me before I had time to get up, and all three of them began kicking the shit out of me.

I felt the blows, but I could only keep my arms up to shield my face and wait for them to stop. These ritual beatings were quickly becoming a condition of my servitude to Wade.

 _You are either Nexus, or defense-less._

"HEY!" came a booming voice from nearby.

Slater, Otunga and Gabriel scattered like roaches and disappeared through separate doors. I started to sit up, but I was greeted by a large hand connected to an arm sleeve of tattoos.

"You dead yet, Cena?" Orton pondered me with a sideways glance.

I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet, replying, "It takes more than those three punks to kill me."

"I'll believe it," Orton said with a nod.

My right hip felt like it was on fire. The guys always managed to hit me in places where the bruises wouldn't show on live TV. I pressed my fist against the injured area and winced in pain. Orton was still watching me, but he didn't say a word.

Almost everyone believed that my servitude to Wade was just an entertaining storyline. Very few people knew the truth: Wade had found a way to gain an advantage over McMahon and the RAW general manager. I couldn't be sure exactly what he had done, but my initiation into the Nexus, and my forced servitude to Wade was not a story.

 _It was real, and Randy knew it._

"I've got to get to the stage. Wade will want me at ringside," I started to leave.

"Hey, Cena," Orton nodded at me.

I stopped and turned to face him. I could only hope he would say something that I could respond to easily.

"Let Wade know I want to talk to him later on tonight," Orton said.

Caught by surprise, it took me a moment to answer, "Yeah, I'll let him know."

Orton smiled and turned to walk away. I watched him leave, wondering what he would possibly have to say to someone like Wade.

:-:

It was late. Wade was downing his third pint in the hot tub, while the rest of the Nexus sat on the patio chairs by poolside and whistled at any female they could see, no matter if she was within range to hear them or not.

We were staying at a five star hotel, and I was surprised that we had not been asked to return to our rooms yet. Morrison and R-Truth had already left, along with Eve and Kelly Kelly after Health Slater refused to stop calling the girls Eye-boobs. I still couldn't figure out what that meant. Even Goldust shook his head at us on his way to the rec room. It was quickly becoming obvious that my status with the Nexus meant total alienation from the other Superstars and Divas.

"Hey, Cena, look at this," Slater stuck his hand in the pool like he was grabbing something, then he pulled his hand back out and flipped me off.

The other guys laughed hysterically. Wade almost choked on his drink. I just stared at him.

Randy suddenly appeared through the front entrance to the pool. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, looking as casual as any well toned athlete trying to blend in with the public. The Nexus grew quiet and stared him down as Randy wandered over to Wade and I. The room was tensely silent as Wade sobered up for a moment and asked, "What do you want, Third Place?"

Orton clenched his jaw. Wade's nickname was meant to point out Orton's position as a third generation wrestler. What should've been an honor had become a frequent joke amongst Wade and Nexus. They saw it terms of rank instead of heritage.

I braced myself for a fight. Wade smiled wryly, gladly welcoming it. Orton was quiet for a moment longer, then he asked, "Could I talk to you in private, please?"

Again, things were tense, but for a different reason. Orton was being completely out of character. Wade stood up slowly, never taking his eyes away from Orton. He signaled to the others, telling them, "Leave."

The Nexus seemed temporarily stunned. I gave them a nod to go and they started moving. Wade still kept his eyes locked with Orton as he said to me, "Make sure no one comes in and disturbs us, Cena."

I was up and moving as fast as the words were said. The Nexus dissipated to their individual rooms while I paced the hallway. The seconds seemed to move slowly, turning into minutes, then half an hour.

 _What's going on in there?_

I was beginning to worry. Had Wade done something to Orton? Had Orton done something to Wade? Had they both killed each other in a fit of rage? Better yet, could they be conspiring together?

The suspense was killing me. I had to know. I quietly made my way around the pool house to the side door. It was mostly shrouded by bushes and the night made it almost impossible to see me as I crouched down, opened the door slightly and put my senses on full alert.

"...Cena into this?" Orton was still standing as he asked Wade a question.

Wade was now in one of the patio chairs, still nursing the bottom of his pint. He chuckled slightly and replied, "What's it to you, O? Since when did you become Cena's little watchdog?"

Orton ignored Wade's word games, but continued, "You're treating Cena unfairly and without due cause. He's doing everything you ask and yet you and your boys continue to punish him."

Wade laughed out loud. Orton narrowed his eyes. Wade put his hands up in mock defeat, replying, "I just can't believe you actually used the phrase 'due cause.'"

Orton clicked his tongue, asking, "Do you really think I'm joking with you, here?"

Wade's expression went serious. He stood up and closed the gap between himself and Orton, saying strictly, "No, Third Place, I don't think you're joking. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say you've got your packet out for 'em."

British slang had become required research since I started spending time with Wade. I remembered packet being a reference to a lot of money...as well as male genitals.

I expected Orton to start pounding Wade into the ground for even considering making such a reference. Instead, the unexpected happened: Orton broke his gaze from Wade and looked away.

It was only for a second, but it was enough. Wade's eyes grew wide like a firecracker had gone off in his brain. He blurted out, "You have a thing for Cena?"

Orton had his hand around Wade's throat faster than I could blink. I couldn't tell if it was Randy's sudden movements or the booze, but Wade stumbled back into the patio chair, watching Orton with a shocked expression. Orton leaned in and lingered for a moment before he said in the coldest tone I had ever heard, "If anyone touches Cena again, whether it be you or your Nexus goons, I will hold you personally responsible."

Locking eyes with Wade, Orton finished with, "The RKO is a very meticulous move. If I were just a fraction off when using it on somebody, I could easily break their neck."

Smoothly, Orton let go of Wade's neck and backed away, turning to leave only when he was a safe distance away. Wade just sat there, dumbfounded in the patio chair, the rest of his pint in a puddle beside him.

I quietly closed the door and stood up, taking careful steps back to the hallway and to my room. I could barely process what I had just seen, nor could I make sense of what it meant.

 _Orton has feelings for me._

Surprisingly, it came as a comfort. I closed the door to my room and sat down on my bed, thinking it over, wondering what I would do with this revelation.

Then, a rush of dread came over me.

 _Orton has feelings for me...and Wade knows about it._


	2. Chapter 2

2:

"Come here, Cena, I have something to say to you," Wade said.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

 _He's going to tell me about Orton._

"Yeah?" I asked nonchalantly.

Wade was staring out the window of the Seattle arena, looking at the already building lines of people coming to see the event scheduled for later that night. I wasn't scheduled to wrestle, but Wade had a match with John Morrison, and although the event was not going to be a televised one, the tickets sold out faster than anticipated. Usually things like that got me hyped up, but not today. Not when Wade was taking his time to respond to me.

He continued staring out the window for several more seconds, as if the lines of people were far more interesting than whatever he had to say to me. I was almost ready to ask him what he wanted when he turned to me and said, "I've made a decision that is going to affect you."

 _I was wrong. He's not going to tell me about Orton, he's going to tell everyone._

My heart started pounding. I tried to keep from looking guilty as I asked, "What are you talking about?"

Wade turned back to the window again. I sighed with frustration and asked, "Wade?"

"Oh, right, yeah," he turned to face me again and explained, "I think I'm going to hire Michael McGillicutty and Husky Harris to join the Nexus. Since you're working for us, I want you to extend your duties to them as well."

 _That was it. That's what he made me wait for. What the fuck?_

I nodded, replying, "Right, I'll be sure and take note of that."

Wade tapped my shoulder before I could leave and mentioned, "I want you to take all the boys out today. Get them some fresh air."

I shrugged, asking, "What could we do?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. He handed it to me as he replied, "I don't know, something American. Now, get out of my sight."

I took the cash and walked off, still stunned that Wade had said nothing about last night. I could have been relieved, but I wasn't.

 _Now I would have to wait for him to tell me._

:-:

Stuck. In a limo. With The Nexus.

 _Shitty McShit Fuck._

Otunga couldn't stop climbing up through the sunroof and screaming at the top of his lungs. Cars recognized him and honked as they zoomed past. Slater was going through the mini bar and chucking complimentary cashews at me while Gabriel, McGillicutty and Harris were comparing ringtones on their cell phones. I had the window seat, which would've been nice if Otunga wasn't elbowing me in the shoulder every time he got back down from the sunroof.

"Hey, Cena, how many times do you think I can beat Santino?" Otunga asked me randomly.

"I don't know...never," I answered.

Otunga gave me his usual stink-eye look and retorted, "You're just jealous because I'm so damn good at what I do!"

 _What you do is detail your hairstyle with alternative advertising._

He added with a snort, "I don't care what you say. I'm awesome."

McGillicutty laughed at Otunga, asking sarcastically, "Whatever you say, Miz!"

The other guys laughed, making Otunga glare at them resentfully.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Gabriel asked, looking around like he could somehow find where we were going.

"Just up the ramp," I nodded ahead.

Slater scoffed, his breath smelling like nuts and alcohol as he said, "This is gonna be a shit party."

"You want to go to Wendy's instead?" McGillicutty asked, making everyone laugh.

I smiled, but Slater glared at me so I looked away, pretending like I didn't hear the joke that referenced the nickname I gave to Slater. The limo pulled around the ramp and parked in front of the Paint Pit, a paint ball stage where I planned to let the guys vent their frustrations.

 _Maybe this would exhaust them from venting on me._

We all went inside and grabbed our gear. Otunga inspected the color of paint balls in my gun several times, as if preparing himself to tackle me if any of that particular color ended up on his clothes. I wasn't planning on shooting him, but if the opportunity came up...

"I'm taking Otunga," Slater started the team pick.

"I'll take McGillicutty and Harris," Gabriel mentioned.

I waited for someone to say my name. The guys continued to put on their gear as if I wasn't there.

"What about me? Anyone want me on their team?" I asked, mocking distress.

"You're on your own, Cena," Slater said coldly.

No one objected. I stood there, dumbfounded.

"So I'm just by myself? Me against all of you?" I asked, drawing a circle in the air with my finger.

"More like you're our whipping boy, Cena," Otunga pointed out, making all the guys laugh at once.

I raised a brow, asking, "You mean you all think I'm going to just lye down and take your hits?"

McGillicutty answered easily, "We don't want you to just lye down, Cena. You've got to at least act like you're trying to get away. Otherwise, it's just stupid."

I couldn't believe it. These guys were seriously thinking that I was going to let them play target practice with me. I opened my mouth to argue when I heard a familiar male voice shout from nearby, "I paid with a Benjamin and I want exact change back, bitch!"

Teddy DiBiase, known to the wrestling legends as Junior, was noisily heckling with the man in the Paint Pit stand, while Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton were nearby, inspecting a set of gear.

 _Randy was here._

I hadn't stopped thinking about him since last night. I wasn't sure how it would feel to see him again, and it was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. I smiled a little just as he looked up, but his gaze didn't set on mine. Instead, he was looking past me, and his expression was disturbed. I assumed Otunga and Slater were probably doing something rude behind me.

Rhodes nodded at us and shouted, "Well, if it isn't my NXT rookie and his band of brats, The Plexus!"

"It's The Nexus," Otunga corrected him snidely.

"That's what I said," Rhodes replied arrogantly.

 _Sons of legends are so damn cocky, but if it's directed at Nexus members, I don't care._

DiBiase came up behind Rhodes and Orton, still counting out his change. Rhodes looked at him and mentioned, "What the hell, Teddy! You didn't have to harass the guy!"

Stashing his money in his pocket, DiBiase pointed out, "Hey, I may be rich but I don't like to just throw money away."

Otunga patted his gun and said, "Let's get moving. Hundred bucks says I clip Cena first."

The Nexus members laughed. I glanced at Orton, and I could see his jaw muscles constricting.

Rhodes broke in with, "Hundred bucks says I get _you_ first, Otunga! Maybe I'll even go for the rest of The Sex-us."

"It's Nexus, and you're on!" Otunga countered loudly.

"I've got a hundred for DiBiase," Harris called out.

"Two hundred says I take out Harris and McGillicutty in two shots," DiBiase countered.

"I'm taking Cena for a hundred," Gabriel said.

Orton suddenly broke in with, "Three hundred says I take you out before you get to Cena, Gabriel."

There was a moment of stunned silence. Gabriel nodded timidly and replied, "Yeah, yeah, you're on, then."

Orton smiled wryly and lifted his gun, filled with silver colored paint balls, to rest on his shoulder. I hadn't noticed how rarely he smiled until that moment. He looked really good.

Rhodes waved his paint ball gun in the air and shouted, "Let's get a move on, Tex-us! Anyone who clips my face is going down!"

"It's NEXUS!" Otunga yelled.

Rhodes ignored him and disappeared behind a foam wall. I took off for a series of obstacles and dove underneath them before the Nexus had time to realize where I was. I took my time, using my elbows to scoot along like a soldier in the middle of a heated battle.

 _In some ways, that's kind of what it was._

"Cena! Cena, where the fuck are you?" Slater called out suddenly.

I didn't dare respond to him. There was a loud snap and a paint ball gun fired several times. Some voiced shouted angrily, then it was silent again.

I scooted my way underneath a foam rectangle and peeked out into a clearing. I spotted Gabriel behind a foam wall, but he was looking away from me, anticipating something ahead of him.

Taking my chance, I aimed my paint ball gun and fired.

I got him between the shoulder blades. Gabriel tried to turn his head to see where he had been hit, then looked around frantically for the source. I kept myself carefully hidden until Gabriel sighed with frustration and turned off to leave the field.

"Cena? Cena, where are you?" Slater taunted me from somewhere nearby.

I couldn't see him. I wasn't even sure where his voice was coming from with all the obstacles in the field absorbing or echoing the sound. I crawled out of the rectangle and rushed across the clearing to another series of obstacles that were more safely positioned.

"Cena! Come out, come out, Champ! We want to play!" Otunga's voice called out.

I took a moment to debate my position. If I stayed in hiding long enough, I might be able to keep myself from getting hit by any members of the Nexus, but I wasn't sure what game Orton, Rhodes and DiBiase were playing. I doubted Orton had plans to shoot me.

 _Then again, he wasn't called the Apex Predator for nothing._

A whistle in the distance. Probably Otunga. I held my gun closer to me, keeping my finger on the trigger, and waited.

Silence. A minute, then five minutes. Nothing.

Maybe I was wrong. I glanced around, but there was no one in sight. They must've moved on.

I stood up and surveyed my surroundings. Still nothing. I was in the clear.

Otunga charged me from out of nowhere, slamming into my right shoulder and sending me into the ground. I lost my paint ball gun, and the next thing I knew, I could feel blood dripping from my cheek.

I sat up, touching my face to feel the damage. It wasn't bad, but it was painful. I turned to yell at Otunga, but instead, I found Slater standing over me with his paint ball gun pointed just under my right eye.

 _This was going to hurt like hell._

THWAP!

"Oh FUCK!" Slater grabbed his left ear and fell to his knees in pain.

I blinked. I realized Slater hadn't shot me, but someone had shot him in the back of his ear. Paint seeped through his fingers as he held his ear, looking like he was bleeding silver.

 _Silver. That was Orton's gun._

Dozens of paint balls came flying at once. Otunga was just getting up after he had tackled me, and most of the paint balls hit him in the backside. Slater was getting pummeled as well. McGillicutty and Harris appeared from behind some obstacles, but they were slammed with paint balls as well. After the flurry finished, I realized every remaining member of Nexus but me was covered in blue and yellow paint.

Rhodes and DiBiase appeared from behind a foam wall and held up their paint ball guns, loaded with blue and yellow paint. Orton came out from a foam overhang on the other side and glanced at me as if to survey if any damage had been done to me, then he focused his intent on Slater, looking as if he were thinking about causing Slater some real pain.

"I am your God now," Rhodes joked with a confident smile.

I could still feel the blood on my cheek. I stood up slowly, feeling new pain in addition to the bruising on my hip that still held from my Nexus beating the night before. I didn't look at Orton, but I could feel him watching me. Slater got up at nearly the same time and said, "Fuck, I think my ear is bleeding."

"Oh, go cry to your mommy, then," DiBiase shooed him with his hand.

"Whatever," Slater started to leave.

DiBiase called out, "Hold up! You owe us some big money!"

Slater scoffed and replied, "Cena'll pay it."

I said aloud, "What? I don't have bet money!"

"Wade gave you some money," Harris tried to argue.

I corrected him, "Yeah, for gas and lunch and our entrance fee for here, but not for bet payouts."

Slater shouted angrily, "God, Cena! You are fuckin' useless!"

I saw Orton open his mouth like he was about to counter, but I didn't want things to go from bad to worse, so I shouted at Slater, "What, do you want me to sell my ass on the street corner for some extra cash? I think I could make a few hundred if I shake it."

Rhodes and DiBiase busted out laughing. Slater gave me the finger and stormed off, the rest of The Nexus following after him. I shrugged and turned to look at Orton.

He was smiling humorously.

:-:

I took my time getting back to turn in my gear. I checked the damage to my cheek in the bathroom mirror, cleaning it up so that it looked like nothing more than a faint scratch. There was a food parlor built into the front office, and I checked it out when I went inside, catching sight of Orton, Rhodes and DiBiase sitting at a table and enjoying a round of beers. I gave them a quick nod, then I glanced around, but I saw no sign of The Nexus.

There was a scrawny teenage boy waiting for me when I reached the counter. I handed him my gear and asked, "Did some athletic ugly looking guys drop off their gear a little while ago?"

The kid smiled with a mouth full of braces and replied, "Yeah, they went outside."

I nodded and turned to leave, then the kid asked, "Hey, are you John Cena?" 

Turning back to face him, I smiled and answered, "Yes, I am."

He beamed ecstatically, and I felt a rush of esteem that I hadn't felt since losing my match to Wade at Hell in A Cell.

 _My fans were still out there._

He asked me timidly, "Hey, could you like...I mean...get me Wade Barrett's autograph?"

 _...and my boost is gone._

I swallowed hard and replied, "Well, I don't carry his autograph around, but maybe I could get you something else."

"Really?" the kid gasped.

I reached into my pockets and pulled out a handful of things, searching them for something I could give away. I pulled out a wrapper filled with chewed gum and said, "Wade put this in my gym bag this morning. I meant to throw it away, but if you want it..."

I held it out to him, thinking he would turn it down. Instead, he lunged at it like a squirrel on drugs and eagerly took it from me, surveying it between his hands like it was precious.

"Right. I'll be going now," I walked away quickly.

Once outside, I walked toward the parking space where the limo had stopped. I noticed almost immediately that the limo wasn't there. I glanced around the parking lot, but I could see no sign of anything that remotely looked like a limo. It didn't take me long to realize I had been ditched.

 _Ditched at a paint ball game. I feel like I'm in high school._

I quietly walked back into the front office. Orton looked up at me, and I saw from his expression that he already knew what had happened. I wandered over to him, feeling kind of sheepish. DiBiase and Rhodes both perked up when I came near, so I tried to shake off my disgrace.

"Why the long face, Cena?" Orton asked, pretending he didn't know.

"Looks like Nexus ditched me," I answered with a shrug.

"You want a ride back to the arena?" Orton asked, still acting casual.

Rhodes put up his hands and argued, "I don't have room in my truck for one more!"

Orton narrowed his eyes at Rhodes and replied, "Then you get to be the one to tell McMahon why we left one of his main events stranded."

Rhodes swallowed hard and answered grudgingly, "Fine. He can come."

Orton pulled out a chair from the table and said, "Sit."

I did, feeling relaxed for the first time all day. Orton asked me once I was seated, "You want a beer?"

"No, I'm good," I shook my head.

Orton turned to Rhodes anyway and said, "Turn on the charm."

Rhodes turned around to face the female waitress and asked aloud, "Excuse me, gorgeous, but we'd like another round of drinks."

He finished his sentence with his signature smile, and the waitress blushed, giggling as she quickly went to grab more beers. DiBiase elbowed me in the arm and said, "Hey, your Nexus buddies didn't pay me their bets. What do you have on you, Cena?"

Orton groaned with frustration and said, "Damn, Teddy. You sound like a cheap whore."

Rhodes burst into a fit of laughter. I laughed myself, always a fan of Orton's extremely dry sense of humor and his straight faced jokes. DiBiase leaned back and stated, "Hey, I resent that remark! If I were a whore, I sure as hell wouldn't be cheap!"

That only made Rhodes laugh harder.

:-:

When we got back to the arena, Rhodes and DiBiase took off, leaving me alone with Orton. He didn't say a word as we walked together down the hallway. It was a comfortable silence, unlike the usual constant noise and horseplay I got when I walked with The Nexus. I started to turn off toward the locker room, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I looked up and saw Wade coming my way.

 _Oh shit, he looks pissed._

"Where the hell have you been?" Wade yelled before I could say anything.

I put up my hands in defeat, answering, "The Nexus ditched me. I had to hitch a ride back."

Wade towered over me, putting his balled fists on his hips as he countered in his snide British tone, "Really? See, the way I heard it, you ditched Nexus!"

"What? Are you fu-" I started.

Wade came nose-to-nose with me and finished threateningly, "I don't think you want to finish tha' sentence, Cena."

Randy was by my side in a moment's notice. He put his palm on Wade's chest and shoved him backward. Wade kept his balance, but looked at Orton with a stunned expression. Randy stated boldly, "Cena is telling the truth. I saw The Nexus leave without him."

Wade blinked, looking as if he was unsure how to react to Orton. Then, he quickly collected himself and displayed a cocky smile, replying, "How convenient that you were there for everything, Orton. Same grounds, same game, same moment that Cena needs someone to back his story."

Orton clenched his fists. I expected Wade to do the same, but he didn't. Instead, he turned on his heel to leave, saying over his shoulder, "Let's go, Cena! William Regal has me out an' we're already late!"

I looked at Randy. He looked back at me with a sympathetic expression, then he reluctantly nodded for me to go on. I took my leave, glancing back to see if he might try to follow.

Randy stayed where he was, but his fists were still clenched.


	3. Chapter 3

3:

"Come on, Cena! Let's see some real fisticuffs!" Wade yelled.

He was sitting next to the wrestling ring, surrounded by Nexus members and getting some good laughs out of my in-ring capabilities. It was still early, so the arena was empty save for us and some crew members that were still working on the lighting and sound. I was taking the time to try out a few new moves, but Wade had taken it upon himself to mentor me while I worked, going so far as to volunteer Slater to be my opponent.

"Cena, are you even paying attention?" Wade complained even before I had made my next move.

I tried to bring my arm under Slater to pull him over my shoulder, but he pulled away and took a dive for my knees. I argued with him, "Stop trying to take me out! I'm trying to use a new move on you!"

He got up, but when I reached for him again, he pulled away from me and tried to put me in an arm-lock.

Wade clapped, shouting, "Alright! Tha' was what I came out to see!"

I broke away from Slater and told Wade, "We're not supposed to be fighting! I'm working on a new move!"

Wade just smiled at me mockingly. He didn't care what we were supposed to be doing. He just wanted to see what I would do about it.

Slater suddenly grabbed me around the waist and suplexed me into the mat. I rolled away from him and stood up to leave the ring, saying, "I'm done with this."

"Oi! I didn't say you could leave!" Wade warned me.

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him. Wade climbed into the ring and motioned for Slater to leave. Once Slater was out, Wade pointed at me and said, "You should see how real bare knuckle fighters have a go."

Wade's training in his home country was not news to me, but he had never talked about using it until now.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

Wade came close to me and put up his fists. The Nexus stood up and surrounded three sides of the ring for a better view. I put my hands on my hips and scoffed, saying, "I'm not gonna fight you."

Bringing up his right fist, Wade hit me just above my left eye, sending me stumbling backward a few steps.

I shook my head and tried to gather my thoughts. Had he just hit me? I wasn't about to let him try it again.

Getting into position, I put my own fists up. Wade tried for me again but I ducked out of the way, trying a blow of my own. He took a step back, missing my blow, but his eyes widened like he hadn't expected me to catch on so fast. I smiled, waiting for his next strike.

Wade took the next shot and caught me in the shoulder as I was moving out of the way. I threw two more punches and hit Wade in the right ear. He rubbed it for a second, then moved on like I hadn't even touched him. The Nexus murmured encouragements toward Wade, but I didn't hear them say a word to me.

 _Thanks for sending support my way, guys._

I glanced over to the top of the ramp, and I saw Eve and R-Truth watching us. It was just enough of a distraction for Wade to land one on my right cheekbone, making me fall back against the ring ropes.

"Yeah, Wade!" Slater clapped.

"That was a blow!" Otunga added.

I held onto my cheekbone, acting like it hurt worse than it did, so I could glance over at Eve and R-Truth again. I could still see Eve, but it looked like R-Truth had left to get reinforcements. Eve folded her arms and gave me a look as if to ask, "Do you need some help?"

I didn't have time to express an answer to her. Wade suddenly threw another punch, and I barely had time to get out of the way. Husky Harris grabbed my ankle in an attempt to trip me, but I pulled out of his grasp and ducked just in time to miss another one of Wade's blows.

The ramp started filling up with other Superstars. Even the crew had stopped to watch what was going on. Wade kept trying to throw heavy blows, but I managed to be quick enough to move out of the way. I was getting good at avoiding him, when he did a double right hook and managed to knock me in the eye again.

I stumbled back, trying to gather myself. I could hear the Superstars whispering, and I knew that things were about to get out of hand. I put up my hands in defeat and said, "Alright, I'm done."

"Wha?" Wade countered.

"I'm out," I started to leave the ring.

"Are you chicken-shit, Cena?" Wade taunted me.

I ignored him. I started climbing through the ropes when Wade shouted at me, "Cena, I order you to get back in here and finish this!"

I looked up at the ramp full of Superstars. They were all looking back at me with the same expression.

 _They knew Wade wasn't messing around. I knew it, too._

Suddenly, Randy appeared at the top of the ramp. He was dressed in a casual black t-shirt and jeans, but he looked like he was ready to run into the ring if he needed to. He folded his arms and locked eyes with me, asking wordlessly if I was alright.

I nodded and moved back into the ring, telling Wade, "Alright, let's finish it."

He put up his fists, and I put up mine. We exchanged blows, missing each other every time. The Nexus continued to cheer Wade on, while a few Superstars and Divas called out encouragement for me. I heard Ted say something like, "Show me my money's worth!"

Wade narrowed his eyes like he was trying to understand what Ted said, and I took the moment to throw a hook right at his lower jaw.

Stumbling back, Wade fell against the ring ropes and grabbed his face. I stood there, momentarily shocked that I had really hit him. I glanced over at Orton, but he wasn't at the top of the ramp anymore. I caught sight of him moving through the crowd to get to the ring. I looked back and realized why: The Nexus was trying to climb into the ring to get to me.

"Wait! Wait! It was an accident!" I shouted.

Wade put out his free hand to stop them, and every Nexus member froze. There were several seconds of stone silence, then I made my way closer to Wade, asking him, "Wade? You alright?"

Without warning, Wade suddenly launched a shot under my chin. He hit me hard enough that I accidentally bit my tongue as my teeth smashed together. Blood spurted out of my mouth and I stumbled backward. I didn't even know I was falling until the back of my head bounced off the mat. I blinked once, feeling the warm blood fill my mouth, then I slipped into unconsciousness.

:-:

I started opening my eyes, but everything was blurry. I blinked a few times, and the image of someone standing over me started to appear. I blinked a few more times, and the person started to come into focus. I tried to concentrate, but my head felt like it had been run over by a semi. When my sight finally began to focus, I saw a pierced lipped smile and a pair of big, penetrating eyes right in front of my face.

"Whoa, Punk!" I sat up quickly, trying to move away from him.

He took a step back and replied, "What? I was trying to help!"

"I told you not to stand so close, Punk," Orton said, appearing on my other side.

I realized I was sitting on a table in one of the empty rooms of the arena. Randy put his hand on my shoulder and told me, "It's okay, Cena. Wade knocked you out and Punk was making sure you were alright."

"Yeah, I know some things about reviving a person," Punk smiled mysteriously.

 _I'm not going to touch that one._

I pressed my forehead with my thumb. It hurt so bad, I wasn't sure if I would ever get my thoughts straight. Orton signaled for Punk to leave, and once he was gone, Orton took a glass of water from nearby and handed it to me, saying, "This should help wash the blood out of your mouth."

"Thanks," I said, barely realizing that my mouth did still taste like blood.

I drank down the water while Orton analyzed me with his gaze. I could never quite tell what he was thinking when he took on his deep expression. I finished my drink and asked, "So where's Wade?" 

Randy folded his arms and sighed. I felt a tightening in my chest, wondering if Orton had decided to kill Wade while I was out. After a short silence, Orton replied, "He took off once you were down. Punk told me while we waited for you to come to that Wade has you scheduled for a match tonight...against me."

"Oh. Well that's...odd," I surmised.

Orton unfolded his arms and started pacing the room, saying with a hard tone, "He's just setting us up because he wants to put a rift between us."

"It's okay, I know that. I'm not upset," I started.

He continued to pace, continuing, "He thinks this is all just a game. I warned him about hurting you and he pulls this shit to make it all look like some big accident!"

"Orton?" I asked.

He went on, talking more to himself than to me, "I could have killed him in that ring after he knocked you out, but fucking Slater got in my fucking way, and then they all took off so they didn't have to fucking face me!"

"What do you think of me, Randy?" I asked.

He stopped, looking at me with confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

I swallowed hard.

 _The words were harder to speak than I thought they would be._

"What do you think of me? Do you think of me as a competitor? As a Superstar? As John Cena, the wrestler? As a friend?" I asked.

He looked away, the tension between us building. I let the silence in the room fill with my words, asking, "Randy, do you think of me as something more?"

He closed his eyes, his mind drifting off to someplace where I could never follow him. He let the silence linger, then he opened his eyes again and focused on me.

 _Randy didn't have to say a word. It was written all over his face._

A loud knock at the door pulled us out of our thoughts. The door opened and Wade walked in. Orton started for him, but The Nexus appeared just behind Wade, completely outnumbering us. Wade put up his hands in defeat, saying, "I've come here to apologize to Cena."

"There's no need. We were just having a good old fashioned brawl," I said sarcastically.

Wade gave me an unappreciative glance, then he looked at Orton and asked, "Did Punk give you the word on tonight's match?"

"Yeah, we heard," Orton stated.

Wade turned his focus to me and went on, "Cena, I want you to make it look good with Orton, then I'm going to step in at the end and fiddle the match, so you two will be standin' there dumfounded when I make a surprise announcement."

"A surprise announcement?" I asked, confused.

"Don't worry, Cena. You'll like what I have to say," Wade smiled wryly.

 _Yeah. Right._

 _:-:_

It was all like a blur.

I was fighting Orton in the ring. We were throwing each other around, making it look good like Wade told me to. Orton was particularly agile throughout the match, pulling some of his best moves. He even did the RKO on me. I always hated the feeling of falling while he pulled me down, but I knew his signature move looked damn good to the fans.

 _I couldn't expect anything less._

Then Wade intervened, disqualifying the match. Randy pretended to fight with him, The Nexus came in to stop him, and I fought them off. Then Wade took the mic and made his announcement. It should've been like any other Monday night surprise, but Wade said things I didn't expect.

He wanted me to be his referee at Survivor Series.

Referee in the match Wade was going to have against Orton.

A match for the WWE Championship.

If I let Wade lose, I'm fired.

But if I let Wade win...

"...relieved of any responsibility...to The Nexus..."

I dropped to the mat and put my face in my hands. I stood up and looked from The Nexus to Orton and back to The Nexus.

 _This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening._

I made my way backstage, expecting to see Wade and The Nexus there, but they were gone. I waited for Orton. It seemed to take forever for him to meet up with me.

He didn't say a word. I didn't know what to say. He started walking to the locker room, so I followed him. It felt like time had nearly stopped, like we were doomed to walk the hallways forever.

We made it to the locker room. Thankfully, no one was around. I stared at Orton, waiting for him to say something. He just stood there, staring at the floor.

Then suddenly, he started to break.

He picked up everything within his reach and threw it. Tables, chairs, clothes, gear. All of it hit the concrete walls. Then Orton started hitting the concrete walls, pounding it with his fists, screaming and cursing and kicking and writhing with pure and brutal rage.

I watched him, knowing there was nothing I could do or say to make him stop hurting himself. I hadn't realized I was biting my tongue again and opening up the wound from earlier until I tasted fresh blood in my mouth.

"Randy, stop," I said, but my words were barely audible.

He punched one of the lockers, making a dent in it, then he turned to face me.

Narrowing his eyes, he took on a predatory stare. He stormed toward me, and I just stood there, waiting for the hit.

He stopped within inches of me and took my face in his hands, mashing his lips against mine with a wrath I had never felt before. He pushed me against the wall, slipping his tongue into my mouth. He groaned when he tasted my blood, letting it spill into his mouth and swallowing it like it was an intoxicating drink.

I grabbed onto his wrists and squeezed them violently, but his palms continued to hold hard against my face, threatening to never let me go. It was hard to breath, it was hard to think, and it was hard to realize what was happening, but I gave into it, letting Randy take away the burden that had plagued me since I became Wade's whipping boy.

 _Oh God, is this how it feels to be real?_

Randy's grip on me lessened after several minutes of intensity. He closed his lips and pulled away from mine slowly, but it felt like a part of me was being unceremoniously ripped away. I whispered to him, "Don't stop..."

Then I saw a man out of the corner of my eye.

Randy and I both turned to face him at the same time. It was Punk, and he was standing there, staring at us with a devoid expression. I didn't know Punk well enough to know if he was going to condemn us or help us.

Then, he smiled wickedly.

 _I never wanted to know what someone was thinking so badly in my life._


	4. Chapter 4

4:

Randy was after Punk like a shot.

He grabbed Punk's throat and hurtled him into the wall, while Punk tried to fight him off, shouting, "No, no, no, no, no, no...GACK!"

 _I think that last word was supposed to be stop._

The look in Orton's eyes was one of fury. He was ready to do whatever was necessary to shut Punk up for good. I stepped up beside them, saying, "Alright, let's just talk about this like adults."

Orton didn't even flinch. Punk looked at me with pleading eyes, his air slowly being constricted out of his lungs from Orton's severe grip.

 _What could I say to make this better?_

In heated situations, I used humor because it helped me cope better. I took on a more sarcastic appeal and said, "Look, Orton, we can't kill him. We've got no trash bags to hide the remains, no easy exits, and I don't think we're getting past security."

Orton's viper-like eyes rolled in their sockets to look at me. He held his cold expression for a moment more, then he suddenly cracked a smile. He let go of Punk's throat just enough so Punk could choke in some air, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Then Orton glared at Punk and said, "You're lucky Cena is taking this so lightly."

Punk sucked in another breath and replied, "I get it, I get it, alright! I know you're upset, but you can trust me! I'm not going to tell anyone!"

"How can we trust you?" I became serious, igniting Orton's inner protector to stare Punk down for signs of weakness.

Punk put up his hands in defeat and explained, "If I tell management that two of their headliners are doing each other backdoor doggy-style, there's going to be publicity and an investigation and all the negative shit that comes with a revelation like that, then they'll want a statement from me, and they'll investigate my background, and they'll probably bring up that time when I was in college..."

"Wait, wait, wait," Randy put up his hand to stop Punk's oddly turning rant, asking, "Did you just call my feelings for Cena 'backdoor doggy-style'?"

Punk swallowed hard, saying, "What? No, I didn't say...what? No! I don't care what you two are doing, you know? I was just...I don't know...guessing...okay, what?"

I could tell the situation was getting out of hand fast. I asked Punk, "How do we know we can trust you not to tell anyone?"

Shrugging, Punk answered, "I guess you don't."

Orton reached for Punk's throat again, so I backed him off by saying reasonably, "Randy, we have to just trust him. What are we gonna do? Give him a swirly and wedgies until he vows to remain silent?"

Punk pointed his finger at us, shouting, "Ha! Wedgies won't work because I'm not wearing any underwear!"

Both Orton and I stared at him. He mentioned almost to himself, "I've said too much."

Then Punk suddenly kicked Orton in the knee and ducked away from his grip, running for the door. I rushed after him, shouting, "Punk, come back!"

I ran out into the hallway, and caught sight of Punk rushing past the drink stands.

 _Damn, he was fast._

He was easily going to outrun me, but I started after him anyway, shouting, "Punk, wait! Don't let it go like this!"

He rounded the corner, so I chased after him, turning just in time to see a baseball bat coming toward me.

It made contact with my left knee, sending me into a mid-air somersault before I hit the cement floor hard. I tried to catch my breath again as I saw a figure masked and dressed in black come to stand over me, lifting the baseball bat to make contact again.

I rolled out of the way just as the bat came crashing down and shattered when it impacted against the floor. I tried to get back to my feet, but my knee was still in pain and I stumbled back down again. I turned to face the figure, making my way backward as the figure stepped closer, holding the broken end of the baseball bat like a makeshift weapon.

"Hey you!" I heard Big Show's booming voice shout from down the hallway.

The figure and I both turned to face him. Big Show was coming up fast, so the figure turned and took off down the opposite path, disappearing like they already knew where they were going.

 _Mental note: wrestlers were more rehearsed in arena layouts than anyone else._

"Cena, are you alright?" Big Show came over to help me up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. They just got me in the knee," I took Show's hand for support in getting back to my feet.

"John!" Randy shouted from down the hallway.

 _He's never said my first name like that before. Like it meant something to him. Like I meant something to him._

"I'm okay, I'm okay," I told Orton as he came close.

Orton helped me stand up straight, and analyzed me with his eyes. I could see the intense emotion there, but Orton hid it instantly when Big Show got close, asking, "Do you know who attacked you, Cena?" 

"Attacked?" Orton became confused.

I explained, "I was coming around the corner and someone dressed all in black hit me in the knee with a bat. They tried to hit me again but I got out of the way, then Big Show came and they took off."

Orton looked around suspiciously, then he stopped cold when he saw the splintered remains of the baseball bat on the floor where the attacker had missed me. Orton clenched his fists so hard, I could see drops of blood seeping through his fingers where his nails had dug too far into his skin.

Big Show took my attention away from Orton when he asked, "Could it have been a crazed fan? Or maybe another wrestler?"

"I don't know, it could've been anybody," I shrugged.

"I'm going to call Vince. He should know about this," Big Show said, reaching into his pocket for his cell phone.

I glanced back at Randy, but he had his eyes closed, lost in that place inside of his head again.

 _Where is he now?_

 _:-:_

TEST MESSAGE FROM: WADE BAREBUTT

RECEIVED: 10:45AM

WHERE R U CENA? LOST U ON 5TH. STATUS. NOW.

I stared at Wade's most recent text message, wondering how long I could wait to answer him before he texted me again. Probably not long, considering that he had been texting me every twenty seconds like clockwork since I decided to ride with Randy to the next event.

"What's he asking you now?" Orton asked, surveying the abandoned field around us as he took a bite of his sandwich, his left wrist still balancing on the steering wheel of his black truck.

He always took the black truck to events because it was beat up and simple looking, a great deterrent when we didn't have time for fan or publicity encounters. It proved not to be useful this time, since we were in the middle of Nebraska and we hadn't seen so much as a lizard and a series of tumbleweeds that liked to dart out in front of us at the last second.

"He wants to know where I am and what I'm doing, like always. He's totally pissed that I chose to ride with you, especially after he thought he had us pegged after his Survivor Series stipulation," I said.

Orton chuckled and asked, "So what's your reply?"

I answered jokingly, "I've run out of things to tell him. I think I'm going to try a detailed approach: I'm staring at an open field. I thought I saw a celebrity at the gas station we passed, but it was a homeless guy. I had a little gas in my lower intestine, but it passed so I think I'm okay now."

Randy burst into a loud, booming laugh. I was taken by surprise, never hearing him laugh out loud like that before. When he finished, I said more seriously, "Wade is really pissed about this, though."

"Well he'll have to live with it, because I'm not letting you out of my sight after last night," Orton replied.

"Do you think it will happen again?" I asked curiously.

"If it was someone in the Nexus like I think it was, then yes, it will," Orton stated.

My phone buzzed again with another text. Randy and I both groaned, then he asked, "Again? It's only been a few seconds!"

I answered passively, "Oh well, I'm not worried."

Orton narrowed his eyes at me incredulously. I explained, "Every second I have to spend with him just means I'm one second closer to spending time with you."

I looked at him, and for a moment, Randy looked legitimately touched by my words. Then he used his trademark ultra-dry sense of humor to tell me, "That is total sap, Cena."

I started laughing, and he did, too. Randy started his truck to head out onto the road again, telling me jokingly, "I think I'll take that and publish it. They'll call me Randy of the Romance and I'll make millions."

"Glad I could help in your additional career pursuits," I replied with a chuckle.

My phone buzzed again with yet another text. I opened it and sighed as I read it. Orton asked, "What?"

"He wants me to report to him right away when we get to the arena," I relayed.

"So much for seeing the sights," Orton joked morosely.

Randy put the truck in gear, then he looked at me and said, "Come here."

I leaned over and he took me by the back of my neck, pulling me even closer to him so he could give me a long, deliberate kiss. When he let go, I was left wanting more, but I knew that Wade would be timing my every second getting to the arena. Orton seemed to know it to, pulling out of the field as he said, "If Wade docks you even a second for being late, you tell him to come straight to me."

I smiled, asking only half-seriously, "Why is Wade afraid of you?"

Orton answered passively, "Guess I get under his skin."

I searched his expression for clues, but I couldn't tell for sure if Orton was hiding something from me or not.

 _:-:_

"I want coffee, Cena."

 _Wade's accent made it sound like he said, "Cay-fay." I could just tell him we don't make cay-fay in good ole' America, but that would be amusing, and The Wade doesn't like to be amused by The Cena._

"The refreshment cart doesn't make coffee at night, especially this late," I said.

Wade stepped up more closely to me so he could tower over me, saying strongly, "Then go make some, errand boy."

I kept my glazed over expression. As long as I didn't show emotion, Wade couldn't tell if he was getting to me or not. He chuckled slightly and asked, "What? Are you a robot now, Cena? Do you take my orders and process them mechanically?"

His constant ridicule was starting to get on my nerves. I opened my mouth to retaliate when Slater walked in with Punk.

 _Wait...what?_

I looked at Punk, then at Slater, then back at Punk again. Slater was laughing like Punk had just told him a great joke, then Slater saw me and became aloof, asking, "Shouldn't you be doing something productive for us, Cena?"

Punk put his hands in his pockets and acted like he wasn't listening. Wade interjected and asked Slater, "You and Punk ready for your tag match?"

"Tag match?" I asked aloud before I realized it.

Slater took on a cocky smile and answered, "Yeah, Cena. Looks like I'm going to be winning a title tonight and you're going to...well...whatever it is Wade tells you to do."

A hundred insults went through my mind at once. Instead of saying any of them, I replied simply, "Good luck to both you and Punk tonight, then."

Slater smiled, countering, "We don't need luck, Cena."

Clapping his hands together, Slater motioned for Punk to follow him out the door. I was glad to see them leave, but they weren't out yet when Otunga came in, telling us in a hurried voice, "Someone attacked Orton with a baseball bat!"

 _My entire being just went numb._

"What?" I yelled.

Slater and Otunga both looked at me with confusion. Punk kept his gaze to the floor so as not to betray what he knew. Wade glanced at me, and realizing that I was about to blow the secret that he was still sure only he knew, Wade stepped in front of me to block me from the others as he asked, "Is Orton alrigh'?"

"Yeah, he just hurt his shoulder so he's out of his match against DiBiase tonight. Doc said he'll have to wear a sling but he'll be fine in a couple of days," Otunga informed us.

Wade signaled to everyone, saying, "Alrigh', well off with you, then."

They left, then Wade turned around to face me with a stone expression. I fought back the urge to pummel him like a caged animal, saying as calmly as possible, "I have to see him."

Wade blinked and took on a look of realization. For a single moment, I read on his face that he knew how much Randy and I meant to each other, and for a single moment, I thought he was going to set me free for one night to do as I pleased.

 _Damn single moments. They give you too much hope._

The look faded and Wade told me in his usual tone, "You stay right here with me."

"But you don't need me!" I countered desperately.

"Tha's no' the point, Cena! You do as I say," Wade argued.

I couldn't take it anymore. I held out my arms, shouting at Wade, "What do you want from me?"

He answered in less than a heartbeat, "Your obedience!"

"Or what?" I really wanted to know.

Wade came nose-to-nose with me and said acidly, "Or I'll tear your world apart."

 _:-:_

I stopped thinking. I stopped caring. I just did whatever Wade said and forced myself not to think of Randy. Hours passed, but Wade was still having me fulfill orders long after the show ended, making it impossible for me to get checked into a room when we finally arrived at the hotel.

Wade smirked when I realized that he had already booked his room, and he left me in the hotel lobby to come up with a place to spend the night. I managed to charm the desk clerk into telling me what room Randy was staying in, then I ventured up to find him. I saw that the door to his room was slightly open, but I knocked anyway, saying before anyone answered, "It's Cena."

"Door's open," Randy said, so I walked inside.

He was lying on his bed with his right arm in a sling, watching the widescreen in front of him while he held the remote in his good hand. I glanced at the screen and saw that he was watching a rerun of Sesame Street, and I lifted my brow in surprise.

"What? I like the celebrity guests," Randy admitted.

I closed the door and came over to him, saying, "I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner. Are you okay?"

Orton frowned slightly and answered, "It doesn't matter what happened to me. Wade shouldn't be keeping you so late. It's fucking ridiculous."

I shook my head, insisting, "I still should've been there sooner."

Orton changed the subject, asking, "Did you have any time to get a room?"

"No. I think I'll sleep in your truck if you don't mind," I said.

Scoffing, Orton answered, "My bed is huge. You're sleeping in here with me."

Again, I was struck with surprise. Orton saw my cheeks reddening and brushed it off another dry joke, "I need someone to make fun of late night infomercials with me. It's stupid if I do it alone."

I went over to the other side of the bed and took off my shoes, then pulled off my shirt and unbuckled my jeans. Randy watched me the whole time, then when I was down to my boxers, he said thickly, "Take everything off."

"What?" I asked.

He let the silence linger a moment longer before he said, "I want to see all of you."

I felt something rise inside of me. It was unlike anything I had felt with someone before. I had spent most of my adult life wrestling half-naked in front of thousands of fans, and yet now, I felt truly raw and exposed.

I tugged on my boxers and let them slide to the floor, revealing me entirely in the flesh. Randy's eyes scanned over me slowly, as if he were taking mental pictures of every part of me, then he took on his faraway look again.

"What are you thinking? Am I too big?" I joked.

Randy came back to the present, chuckling a little before he took on a look of pain and cradled his arm. I pulled my boxers back up and climbed into bed to get to him, asking, "Are you alright?"

He let go of his arm and locked eyes with me, saying in a slightly pained tone, "I'm fine. I was just thinking about all the things I want to to do to you right now."

I smiled, replying, "We'll have time for that later. Why don't you just tell me some of it for now?"

I settled in to listen to him, but Randy said, "I would rather show you."

He reached for me with his good arm, but suddenly my phone buzzed in my jeans on the floor. I groaned with frustration and sat up to answer it while Randy muttered his own series of curses from the bed. I saw that it was a text message, but I didn't recognize the number. I opened it, and I read the same words that had struck me down hours earlier.

I'LL TEAR YOUR WORLD APART.


	5. Chapter 5

5:

I stood just outside of the doorway, watching Randy playing a game of poker with Mark Henry, John Morrison and Ted DiBiase to pass the time until RAW was set to air. They were all having so much fun, laughing and throwing cards around and playing for cheap poker chips that Ted bought from some random gift shop. No one was winning or losing, just boys being boys.

 _God, I miss being a part of those times._

"Cena!" I heard Slater's voice call from down the hallway.

I jumped and peeked out to see where he was. I caught sight of Slater with Otunga looking around like they hadn't spotted me yet, so I turned on my heel and walked in on the guys playing poker, making them all stop to look up at me. Randy immediately tensed when he saw that I was on edge. Henry nodded at me and said, "Hey, Cena, come and play a round with us, man."

"No, I've really got to get going," I replied, fidgeting with the bill of my CeNation hat.

It was already too late. Slater and Otunga walked in, provoking Randy to stand up and take on a defensive stance. Regardless that Randy only had one good arm, Otunga froze, but Slater was intent on me, coming up and almost shoving his cell phone in my face as he shouted, "Do you know what this is, Cena?"

"Uh...a cell phone?" I answered sarcastically.

Morrison, DiBiase and Henry laughed. Slater glared at them, then he retorted loudly, "Do you think this is funny, Cena? You won't think it's so funny when I show Wade all the texts you've been sending me!"

 _I'm pretty sure I'm being Punk'd again, because this is outrageous._

"What do you mean? I haven't been texting you," I argued.

Otunga snorted like he didn't believe my response. Slater held up his cell phone again and countered, "All the texts have been coming from your number, asshole!"

I glanced at Randy. He was balling his good fist and seething at Slater. I took the phone and looked at it. Sure enough, there were dozens of texts sent from my number. I only read the first two before Slater took his phone back, but it was obvious they were direct insults about Slater himself.

 _The first one was actually pretty funny. I might use that later._

"Look, I don't know where these came from, but I didn't send you any of these texts," I said defensively.

Slater rolled his eyes, telling me, "Prove it, then. Let's see your phone!"

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and went to my texts, scrolling to the outbox section to prove once and for all that I...

"Well?" Slater asked boldly.

I stared at my outbox. It very clearly showed over a dozen texts sent to Slater's phone. I blinked a few times, but the texts didn't disappear. They were there, as clear as day.

 _This can't be fucking true._

"Let me see it!" Slater grabbed my phone out of my hands to look.

He grinned wickedly when he saw the texts there. I shrugged, telling him honestly, "I have no idea how to explain it, but I didn't write those texts."

Slater threw my phone back at me, responding acidly, "Unless you have a witness who can vouch for you all morning when these texts were sent, then you're screwed."

I stared down at my phone, still displaying the sent texts. Images of this morning flooded my mind like a rapidly moving dream sequence.

 _Waking up on top of Randy while he stroked the back of my neck with his fingers..._

 _Helping Randy sit up and slowly getting him out of his shirt and sling so that he could move his injured shoulder around..._

 _Listening to Randy groan with a mix of pleasure and pain while I massaged his shoulder..._

 _Randy kissing me slowly, then more possessively..._

 _Trying not to shudder while Randy ran his tongue along my chest, paying the most attention to my nipples..._

 _Randy lying on his stomach on the edge of the bed while he watched me shower..._

"No, I was alone this morning," I lied, feeling a sense of relief that my memories would remain untainted.

"Well that's just shit-luck for you, Cena!" Slater pointed at me, turning on his heel to leave.

Henry was up before anyone knew what was happening. He grabbed Slater's cell phone and easily shoved Slater into the wall. Morrison came up beside me and took my phone, asking, "Could I see this real quick, Cena?"

I nodded and Morrison started tapping furiously on my phone. Otunga tried to grab Slater's phone from Henry, but Henry's massive strength threw Otunga aside like he was made of paper. Henry slammed Slater's cell phone into the wall, smashing it into a hundred tiny pieces. He smiled sheepishly at Slater and said, "Sorry, man. I'm so rough on things."

"Watch those butter fingers of yours, Henry," Randy pretended to scold him.

DiBiase added with a shrug, "Accidents happen."

Morrison handed my phone back to me, saying with mock remorse, "I'm so sorry, Cena! I pressed a wrong button and I erased all of your texts while somehow simultaneously reconfiguring your phone so that anything you've done with it in the last twenty-four hours is virtually untraceable."

He put up his hands and gave me a silly frown. I smiled a little, but lost it as soon as I saw how furious Slater looked. His face was as red as his hair as he pointed at the guys and shouted, "You think you're helping Cena out, but you're only making it worse for him, trust me!"

Slater rushed out the door, with Otunga following quickly after him. I looked at Randy, and he looked back at me with a knowing gaze.

 _This was far from over._

 _:-:_

RAW came roaring to life later that evening.

Randy made his speech and I made mine, and we pretended we hated each other.

I was made ref of the main event to give people a glimpse of what I might do at Survivor Series. Tensions were high as I made my informed decision, arguing with Randy about the tag, then arguing with Wade about a similar tag while Randy gave Otunga the RKO behind my back and took the win.

I walked behind the curtain and waited. Wade came back first, and gave me a confident smile, saying, "Don't get too accustomed to seeing Third Place win, Cena. Tha' won't happen at Survivor Series, and you're going to make certain of it."

Nodding my head just to appease him, I waited until Wade started walking, then I followed after him. We were almost to the middle of the hallway when Wade suddenly elbowed me in my right eye.

I fell against the wall, holding my eye as Wade spit at me, "Do you think I would never notice the games you're playing behin' my back, Cena?"

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything!" I argued.

Squaring his shoulders, Wade informed me, "Slater came to me with a very interestin' story earlier, one tha' he tried to prove, bu' the evidence was conveniently damaged."

"I told him and I'll tell you that I didn't do anything!" I shouted.

Wade's looked back down the hallway and his eyes widened. He told me, "Get moving."

"What?" I became confused.

Wade tried to shove me along. I glanced back and saw why: Randy was coming backstage.

"Get on, Cena!" Wade kept shoving me.

Randy came up on us too fast. Unaware at first, Randy started to tell me, "Cena, I wanted to talk to you about..."

I tried to act casual, but Randy only had to glance at my already swollen eye to know something wasn't right.

There was a moment of tense silence. I couldn't anticipate when the strike was coming. Randy spoke first, but his voice was calm as he looked at Wade and said, "I warned you about beating on John."

"I don' have time for threats, O! Cena, on the move!" Wade stated.

Wade took me by my referee shirt and pulled me away from Randy. I glanced back at him, but I didn't see Randy standing there anymore.

I saw the Viper in his truest form.

 _:-:_

"I thought Orton was supposed to be hurt! He fucking pulled me down into that RKO with damn near galactic force!" Otunga complained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"The RKO always hurts. Don't act like you're the only one who's felt it," Gabriel countered.

"Yeah, Otunga! Quit crying like a little girl!" Slater shouted, making the Nexus members laugh.

I stood by the full length mirror of Wade's dressing room and saw my devoid reflection staring back at me. One of my signature moves was based on the concept of being invisible.

 _I really wish I was invisible right now._

"All of you, back to the hotel! I'll be there in an hour!" Wade ordered them.

The Nexus filed out, and I started to go with them. Not surprisingly, Wade told me, "You stay here, Cena. We're not finished."

Slater shot me a devious look and took off out the door. I waited until all of Nexus were gone before I turned to face Wade, asking, "What else do you need?"

"Write down everythin' I say, Cena," Wade said.

I walked around him to get to my gym bag so I could pull out a pad and paper. I stopped short when I heard a loud BANG!

I whirled around just as the door to Wade's dressing room broke off its hinges and fell to one side. Randy stepped through the rubble and set his focus on Wade, barreling toward him like a runaway train.

 _And I was about to watch the wreck._

Wade started to get up, but Orton kicked Wade back into his chair. I watched as Orton produced a belt that he had wrapped around his left wrist, then he wrapped it quickly around Wade's neck and started choking him.

 _There was truly nothing Randy wouldn't do for me._

Wade's face started turning red. His eyes began to bulge and he was quickly losing consciousness. I knew that I had to do something. I shouted, "Randy, stop!"

He looked up at me and our eyes met. I pleaded with him wordlessly. He held his grip on Wade a second longer, then he suddenly let go and stepped back.

Wade choked in a breath. A part of me was relieved Randy hadn't just killed him.

 _A bigger part of me wanted to choke Wade myself._

I waited for Wade to do something. Would he call for help? Would he try to attack Randy? Would he even be able to speak?

Wade gasped for a few more breaths. Then, he started to laugh.

I blinked with confusion, coming closer to him to make sure he hadn't lost his damn mind. He didn't look at me, but instead focused on Randy as he said with a more throaty tone, "Was tha' as good for you as it was for me?"

I looked at Orton, but his expression was as confused as mine was. Wade stood up, rubbing his injured neck as he fixed his gaze on me and said calmly, "Cena, I'm relieving you of your duties as a wrestler. You are now my full-time assistant."

"You can't do that! I'm on the roster! I'm one of the main events!" I yelled.

Wade came close to me and countered boldly, "Tha's where you're wrong, Cena. I decide wha' happens to you, and I'm tellin' you no ma'ches, no new moves, nothing for as long as I say."

Tears started to fill my eyes. Wade had finally hit a raw nerve with me. He had found a way to take away the biggest part of me without actually firing me on the spot.

"You can't do that, Wade! You fucking reinstate him now, or I'll..." Randy started.

Wade looked at me and added, "I heard your father was plannin' to see you this week, Cena. I think I'll make a few calls to le' him know tha' you'll be too busy workin' for me. Tha' way, he won' go through all the fuss."

 _If I could still feel anything right now, I would probably collapse from the pain._

"Stop this, Wade," Randy said.

Wade turned to face him, asking condescendingly, "Or wha'? You'll give me more reason to take what away wha' matters to Cena?"

"Whatever you want to give it all back to John, I'll do it," Randy said.

I looked at him with a mix of shock and surprise. Wade half-smiled like he expected Randy to say that, then he said, "You already know wha' I wan' from you, Orton."

I began to feel the conversation leading into something that I wasn't supposed to hear. Randy didn't betray anything, but scoffed as he replied, "You know I would let you do it if I didn't think you would make more demands afterward, on and on until you thought you'd won over us all."

With a slight chuckle, Wade replied, "You really think I haven' been pullin' the strings all along, O? Who do you think made certain tha' you won the Championship?"

For the first time that I'd ever known him, Randy was at a loss for words.

Wade used his advantage to turn his attention on me, revealing everything at once, "Cena, I know tha' Randy has it hard for you an' he wants you 'appy. Trouble is, he wants to help you before my decision come Survivor Series, so I made him an offer. He let's me fuck 'im, an' in return, I free you from Nexus for certain."

It was all too much. I took off out the door and ran as far away as I could, stopping only when I couldn't run anymore. I dropped to my knees and brought up all that was left in my stomach, then I just collapsed on the group and closed my eyes.

 _Maybe if I kept them closed long enough, I could wake up out of this nightmare._


	6. Chapter 6

6:

I stayed away from the arena and the hotel all night. I couldn't face anyone. I called Vince to let him know I was okay and that I would be at the airport the next morning, and I told him to let everyone know I was alright.

 _I doubted many people cared where I was at this point._

There was no use trying to sleep, so I just kept walking. I browsed a few stores that were open in the early hours, but kept moving when I realized that the only people out at night were drug dealers, young guys on condom runs and suspiciously smelling hobos.

When the morning came, I took the bus to the airport using some loose change I had in my pocket. To keep a low profile, I wore a hoodie over my CeNation t-shirt and I lowered my hat so I looked like any other well toned white boy. I was sitting behind a kid with a buzz cut, and he sat on his knees so he could look back at me with a big toothed smile.

I grinned back at him. He pointed at my CeNation hat, and I tipped it at him, making him laugh.

Then he did something I didn't expect. He lifted his hand and waved it in front of his face.

 _Whether he was a wrestling fan or not, this kid knew exactly who I was._

Something rose within me. It stayed with me even as I got off the bus, waved good-bye to the kid and went into the airport. I thought Wade would be there to give me heat for bailing on him, but surprisingly, he was nowhere to be found.

Making my way through the crowd, I managed to get to a more secluded part of the airport, where I spotted Kane towering above everyone around him. I wandered his way, seeing that he was near most of the other Superstars and Divas from both rosters, all seated and waiting to board the next flight.

 _Then I saw Randy._

He was reading the newspaper and hadn't noticed I was there. I felt a lurching in my stomach as Wade's words from the night before flooded my mind...

" _He let's me fuck 'im, an' in return, I free you from Nexus for certain."_

"Cena! So glad you could make it!" Slater mocked, jolting me out of my thoughts.

Randy immediately looked up, along with most of the other wrestlers. I focused only on Slater, who was with all of Nexus but Wade. I was inspired to remember the kid on the bus, and I casually walked over to the Nexus members, acting like I was in no trouble at all. Slater gave me a suspicious look, asking, "Why do you look so smug, Cena?"

I folded my arms and told him loud enough for the other wrestlers to hear, "I just came from your mom's house. She's hot! Quite the screamer, too."

I stuck my finger in my ear to emphasize my insult. Otunga and Nexus all busted into a fit of laughter. Some of the wrestlers did as well. I didn't dare look at Randy, because I knew that I would give away too much with my expression.

 _I didn't have to look at Slater to know he was pissed._

"What did you say to me, Cena?" he seethed.

"You heard me! You probably heard her, too!" I replied shortly.

Otunga almost hit the floor laughing. Gabriel and Husky Harris shouted at once, "Oh!"

I looked at Slater. His face turned ten shades of red before he stormed over to me and pulled my hat off, shouting, "You can't wear your CeNation shit anymore, Cena!"

He walked over to a nearby garbage can and threw the hat out. I took hold of my hoodie and unzipped it slowly, revealing my CeNation t-shirt underneath, then I sat back and relaxed. Otunga's face was turning purple from laughter. The other Nexus members seemed to be enjoying the joke on Slater.

 _This was more fun than I thought it would be._

Slater came back over to me and pointed at my shirt, shouting furiously, "You can't wear that!"

"Well it's my lucky shirt, so I'm keeping it on," I replied, still acting calm.

"TAKE IT OFF, CENA!" Slater shrieked.

"That's what your mom said!" I shouted back at him.

I was sure Otunga busted a rib trying to gasp for air. Slater turned on his heel and stormed off, probably on his way to find Wade to tattle on me like he always did. I stayed straight faced, keeping my gaze focused on the floor so I could keep up my newly fashioned recklessness.

Otunga finished laughing and slapped me on the shoulder, saying, "That was pretty damn funny, Cena. What's with the new attitude?"

I smiled a little as I looked up at him and said, "You know what, Otunga?"

"What?" he asked.

I leaned into him and replied, "Your ass is too big for your wrestling trunks. I can see your bubble butt sticking out every time you walk into the ring."

He narrowed his eyes with confusion, and I took the opportunity to head-butt him.

Otunga fell out of his chair and hit the floor. The Nexus stood up and surrounded me like a pack of wild dogs. Randy, Morrison, Kane and R-Truth stood up at the same time, ready to break up the potential fight. The Nexus was about to launch into me when Wade's voice called out to them from nearby, "Nobody moves!"

The Nexus froze and turned to face him. Wade was coming up fast, with Slater giving me an acidic look from just behind him. Wade looked down and saw Otunga, stopping just before he stepped on him. Wade asked him, "Wha' are you doin' on the floor?"

"Cena head-butted me for no damn reason!" Otunga argued.

Wade balled his fists and put them on his hips, locking eyes with me like he usually did when he was really angry.

Then, he started laughing.

Like real, hearty laughter. Not his usual mocking laughter.

I blinked a few times, sure that Wade was about to attack, but he continued to laugh. He even pointed at Otunga and laughed harder, adding insult to injury.

 _Has Wade been replaced by a bad imitation?_

Nexus stood there and stared at him. Even Slater was dumfounded. Wade finished laughing and wagged his finger at me, saying, "Job's a good'un! Here I though' you were just the Joey of our gang, bu' this is classic!"

 _I'm assuming he's using British slang to compliment me._

Slater started yelling before any of us could figure out what was going on, "What? You mean you're letting him get away with pulling this shit!"

Wade went serious in less than a second, turning to face Slater with a warning expression as he asked rhetorically, "Are you arguing my actions?"

Quickly shaking his head, Slater took a few steps back and shut his mouth. Otunga started to get up, looking like he wanted to say a few words himself, but Wade shut us all down when he said, "Le's get movin'! Vince wants us all on the plane in five shakes or they're leavin' without us!"

He motioned for the Nexus and they started to follow him. I started walking as well, still unsure if I were dreaming or not. I glanced back and saw Randy watching me as I left with a questioning look on his face.

 _I wasn't sure if I had any answers for him yet._

 _:-:_

Wade took the window seat when we got on the plane, then he promptly put on headphones and went to sleep. I kept a low profile for as long as I could, knowing Nexus was probably watching me from their seats, but when the plane started having turbulence, my stomach couldn't handle the sudden drops.

 _Whether it's Randy's RKO or a flight to England, the feeling of falling really gets to me._

I got up and inched my way toward the bathroom, hoping that Nexus wouldn't become suspicious and rouse Wade. I managed to make it to the stall and closed the door just in time to bring up the airplane food I ate moments before, grateful that I managed not to get it everywhere. I cleaned the mess out of the sink and splashed my face with water, deliberately choosing not to look at my own reflection afterward.

 _I was truly afraid to see who would be looking back at me._

There was a soft knock at the door, then Randy's voice asked quietly from the other side, "You alright, John?"

My voice caught in my throat. I struggled to answer, "Uh...yeah...yeah, I'm alright."

There was a long pause, then Randy asked thickly, "Could I come in?"

My mind started racing. Last night's events threatened to overwhelm me again. I wanted nothing more than to tell Randy to come in, but after what Wade had said, I knew I wouldn't be able to hold it together if I did.

"I really...I really want to be alone right now," it physically hurt me to say those words to him.

There was another pause, then Randy said in a calm tone, "No problem. Look, you dropped something before getting on the plane, and I picked it up for you. I'll just leave it outside the door."

"Thanks," I said, my voice cracking despite my attempts to be calm.

I waited for several minutes in silence, then I slowly went to the door and opened it. Randy was gone, and I looked down to see what he had left for me. Tears formed in my eyes when I saw that it was my CeNation hat, still somewhat crumpled from when Slater took it off my head and tossed it into the trash at the airport.

 _It wasn't just something of mine that Randy gave back to me. It was a message: don't forget what makes me John Cena._

Picking up the hat, I put it in my jacket and wandered back to my seat. I kept glancing inside my jacket for the rest of the flight, smiling every time I saw the hat there. I felt like I was smuggling a prized possession, and this time, I would make sure no one took it from me.

 _:-:_

I made it to England in one piece. I was surprised when Slater and Otunga didn't find some way to get me detained. They didn't even try to trip me when we went down several flights of stairs to get to our taxis, and they hardly shoved me going by to check into their hotel rooms. I was beginning to think that maybe my acts of rebellion had unintentionally garnered me the respect I had always been trying to achieve from Nexus.

 _And all I had to do was pretend I boned Slater's mother._

"Hey, Cena, can I talk to you for a second?" Daniel Bryan caught up with me alone in the hallway while I was making my way to my hotel room.

"Sure," I pointed to a more secluded part of the hallway and stopped to let him speak.

Bryan glanced around quickly, then he leaned in and whispered, "I wanted to warn you about something I overheard on the plane."

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

Letting out a long sigh, Bryan explained, "I was sitting across from Slater and Gabriel, and I heard them whispering about some guy that they knew who could bust people up for money. They saw me listening, so I made up this story that I was kind of upset I didn't get to stay with Nexus because I wanted to beat you up, and I would seriously consider hiring this guy just to show you what I wanted to do to you."

Bryan looked over his shoulder once more, then he leaned in and continued quietly, "After a while, they kind of bought my story, probably because of all the drinks they had on the plane. Anyway, they said they could easily hook me up with this guy because he had caused trouble with you before, and he knew he could beat you up and make it look like some accident."

The image of the black masked attacker popped into my mind. I asked him, "Did they give you a name?"

Shaking his head, Bryan answered, "No, but they gave me an alias and a number to a place in New York. They said it's not his real number, but he goes by the nickname Yellow."

I tried to think of any associations with yellow, but all that came to mind was the Nexus symbol. I asked, "Do you think this guy's for real? I mean, did they think you were lying and they're setting you up?"

"I don't know. I was going to call the number and see what happens. If you want, we could get the police involved and work together, maybe get this guy caught before he hurts you or anyone else," Bryan offered.

I felt in my gut that something wasn't right. I shook my head, telling him, "Don't call the number. Just sit tight until I can think about what to do."

"You need evidence to get this guy, Cena. At this point, he's just some single named nobody who Slater and Gabriel told me about during a drunken stupor," Bryan pointed out.

"I know, I know. I'll think of something," I told him.

Bryan nodded and we parted ways. I glanced around before going into my hotel room, making sure that The Nexus wasn't anywhere nearby. Once I opened the door, I tossed my bag aside and immediately closed the door again, locking it from the inside. I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that finally I had a real chance at figuring out what was going on around here.

I didn't even feel the hit when I turned around.

The next thing I knew, I was on my hands and knees, and I felt a warm trickle of blood coming down the side of my head.

I tried to look up, but something hit me again, knocking me over on my back. It was soft enough not to be devastating, but hard enough to blur my vision.

There was a knock at my hotel room door. I heard Randy ask from the other side, "Cena, you in there?"

I opened my mouth to cry out, but something was crammed into it before I could get a word out.

"Cena? I really need to talk to you," Randy continued from a few feet away, completely unaware that I was in any kind of danger.

I tried to focus to see my attacker, but my vision was still blurry. I felt a stinging in my right arm, like a needle.

"John?" Randy asked, but I couldn't answer him.

My eyes rolled back into my head, and I passed out into unconsciousness.


	7. Chapter 7

7:

I felt something brushing against my face. It was soft. I opened my eyes, but they were startled shut again when I was hit by a blinding light.

 _The sun. It's only the sun._

I put my hand up to shield myself and opened my eyes again. I sat up slowly, my body feeling sluggish and my stomach tender from the effects of whatever had been injected into me. I looked around carefully, unsure if I was alone or being watched by my captor, or captors, for that matter.

 _No one. Nothing. I was in a field, in the middle of nowhere._

I should have been relieved, but I felt more unsettled than ever when I realized that I was alone, with no clue as to where I could possibly be.

Taking one step at a time, I got up and checked myself for any injuries. Besides a slight puncture wound where the needle went into my arm, I couldn't find anything. I even touched my head where I had felt blood coming down before I passed out, but it had scabbed over and felt like a minor cut at most.

Secondly, I checked my pockets to determine if anything had been taken. I had my wallet and my cell phone and some loose change when I went into my hotel room. I searched every pocket, but I couldn't find anything.

I sighed and looked around again. Growing up, I had learned survival skills, and I had been taught by my dad to trust my instincts. I started walking in the direction that I felt was right, hoping that, if anything, I could find some shelter before nightfall.

:-:

A couple of hours passed. My stomach was starting to hurt a lot. It wasn't just hunger pains, but something else that was also keeping my body tired. All I had seen so far were a few birds and some field mice, and the clouds were starting to gather, threatening to rain. If it did, I was already planning a way to conserve some rainwater to drink while I walked.

My eyes were still slightly blurry from whatever I had been hit with. I spent a lot of time keeping my mind off of my stomach by trying to think of what I had been hit with that could blur my sight without making my eyes hurt. As time passed, I started thinking about Randy, wondering if he had even noticed I was missing. I was beginning to regret my decision to keep my distance from him since Wade's ultimatum was revealed.

"It's okay, Cena. I know you were just upset," I heard Randy say from behind me.

I stopped and whirled around to face him, but Randy wasn't there.

 _No one was there._

 _:-:_

Another hour passed. I kept hearing whispers like someone was nearby, but when I would look around, I would be faced with nothing again. I walked up a hillside, and I noticed a small broken down shack a few minutes ahead, but it looked like trash. I doubted anyone was inside. I made my way toward it anyway, grateful that at least I had found shelter.

The closer I got to the shack, the more details came into view. A small garden made up the font yard, a cobblestone pathway went out for a long distance over some hills that probably led to a road, and I was almost sure I was seeing an old woman in a white nightgown walking around aimlessly near the garden. The closer I got to her, the more lifelike she appeared, but I couldn't be sure because she had yet to notice me. I stopped before I got too close, asking her, "Ma'am?"

She looked up, her blue eyes wide and her long white hair covering most of her features. Her hands were trembling and she seemed to barely register that I was there, but I told her anyway, "Ma'am, I really need some help. Do you have a phone I could use?"

She responded in a flurry of sentences that had little to no English in them. I couldn't quite catch what her language was, but it sounded Russian or German. She seemed to be either panicked or angry according to her tone, then she suddenly stopped and hugged herself, asking me timidly, "You take me for sex?"

 _Jesus on a flipping bicycle. This lady thought I was going to rape her._

"No, no, ma'am, I'm not here for that. I just need some help. Can you please tell me what country this is?" I pleaded.

She slowly let go of herself, pouting a little like she was upset that I had turned her down, then she said to me, "England."

"England? We're in England?" I asked.

She nodded her head, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She turned on her heel and started walking back to the shack. I yelled to her, "Ma'am, could I come into your house and use your phone?"

She waved for me to follow her, so I did. She led me inside and I noticed immediately that the shack was totally deceiving from the outside. In fact, the inside was modern and restored from what I could tell. The old woman waved for me again, so I followed her into what looked like the living room. I spotted a cell phone on the couch and pointed at it, asking, "Could I use that phone?"

"I make you tea," she said, seemingly unconcerned with my request.

I called it a yes and grabbed the phone, dialing Randy's number right away. I was shocked that it even started playing Randy's ringtone, then I waited, eager to blurt out what had happened to me as soon as he answered.

The tone played...and played...and played...

 _I was using a random cell phone. It was probably coming up as an unknown number, and Randy was going to ignore it._

"Please answer, please answer, please answer," I willed Randy to know it was me.

"Yeah?" I heard Randy's voice on the other line, and I was so excited, I momentarily lost my own.

"Is this Teddy? Don't fuck with me right now, man, I've got a million things to-" Randy started.

"Randy, it's me, John. I'm in trouble," I cut him off.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then Randy asked in a low voice, "Where are you? I went to your room last night but you wouldn't answer, and then this morning you didn't show up for the autograph signing."

I told him all that I knew, "I went into my hotel room and got jumped by somebody. I heard you knocking, but they gagged me so I couldn't speak, then they gave me something to knock me out. I woke up in some field in the middle of nowhere. It took me hours of walking but I found an old lady who let me into her house so I could use her cell phone."

Randy was so quiet, I couldn't tell if he was still on the line. I asked, "Randy?"

"Yeah, sorry. I just...if I had known someone was hurting you when I knocked, I would have..." Randy broke off.

"I know. It's not important now. What is important is getting me out of here. I can't understand the old woman who lives here. I think she speaks Russian," I said.

Randy became alert again, saying, "I can get Kozlov to translate. Stay on the line while I find him."

"Okay. Randy?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he said.

"How has Wade been dealing with my loss?" I asked morosely.

Randy sighed heavily, then he answered, "He's been keeping it quiet from everyone, including Vince, giving them some bogus story that you're out running errands for him, but he's been climbing the walls."

"You might have to tell him where I am, just to avoid more drama later on," I said.

"Yeah, I know," Randy replied.

The old woman walked back into the room, handing me a cup of tea. I took it and drank it down in one gulp, trying not to break the fragile cup as I handed it back to her. She smiled while she watched me, revealing what was left of her teeth. She took the cup back from me and put it down, then she started trying to climb on top of me, saying, "You take me for sex now."

"What? No! Lady, I don't want to sex you!" I tried to fight her off while holding the cell phone at the same time.

Randy must've heard me, because he called through the phone, "John? What's going on?"

The old woman was stronger than I anticipated. She kept trying to climb on me while I put the phone to my ear and explained, "The old woman is trying to molest me!"

Randy chuckled, answering dryly, "Well you tell her your ass is mine."

"It's not funny! She's freakishly strong!" I countered.

"John Felix Anthony Cena, you are a professional wrestler, for God's sake. Show some dignity and kick the old bag off of you!" Randy continued to joke.

"Keep laughing, Orton," I retorted loudly.

The old woman suddenly stopped trying to assault me and repeated in a thick accent, "Orton?"

"What?" Randy asked through the phone.

The old woman turned and took off like a shot. I explained to Randy, "She seemed to recognize the name Orton when I said it."

"I found Kozlov. Hold on a second," Randy told me.

While I waited, I started to feel my stomach hurting again. The tea had done little to quench my thirst, and I knew I would have to find something to eat soon.

The old woman rushed back into the room holding a crumpled piece of paper. She handed it to me and I instantly recognized the face of the man being advertised on the paper.

"Cena, you still there?" Randy asked.

"Yeah. You aren't gonna believe this, but the old lady just handed me a picture of Cowboy Bob," I said.

"My dad? What kind of picture is it?" Randy asked.

I tried to make out the words on the paper, but it was too badly damaged. I explained, "I think it's just some old magazine ad or something. I'm beginning to wonder if whoever brought me out here knew about this place. I mean, how many random shacks in the middle of the English countryside have classic wrestling fans?"

"For now, let's worry about finding you. I'll hand my phone off to Kozlov. You have the old lady?" Randy asked.

"Yeah," I said, handing her the phone.

The old woman took the cell phone from me cautiously, as if I might pull it away from her at any second. She started talking into it in her language, and I could hear Kozlov engaging in conversation at the other end. It was fast, furious, and without warning, the old woman suddenly threw the cell phone at the wall and shattered it.

 _Wait. What the fuck?!_

"What did you do that for?" I yelled in shock.

The old woman argued with me in her language, then she started pacing the room, still muttering to herself. I just sat there dumfounded, unable to know if she had managed to give my location before she unceremoniously shattered my only means of communication.

:-:

An hour passed. I knew that because various strategically placed cuckoo clocks all over the shack all chimed at once. My stomach was beginning to churn violently, and the old woman would only offer me tiny helpings of tea. I would've gotten up and inspected the kitchen myself, but every time I tried to leave the couch, the old woman would try to dry hump me or start yelling at me in her language.

 _Despite the circumstances, it was still better than being with Wade._

Finally, the old woman left me in peace for a while. A short time later, I heard the front door open. A young woman's voice with a British accent called into the house, "Mum?" 

A figure ran up beside me. I looked and saw a young boy that had to be less than ten-years-old with olive skin looking back at me with widened eyes. He started shouting with a British accent, "John Cena! John Cena! John Cena!"

"Wha' are you doin', Danny?" the young woman's voice came from behind me.

She walked into the room, and froze when she saw me, letting her purse drop to the floor. She was wearing a business suit and had the same dark hair and green eyes as her son, but her features resembled the old woman. Her son kept chanting my name as she asked, "Who the hell are you?"

"It's John Cena, mum! John Cena! John Cena!" the boy cried out.

"Who?" she asked obliviously.

 _Apparently putting my face on almost every piece of WWE merchandise for the last ten years was not enough to inform the general public about me._

"Ma'am, I'm John Cena. I was left stranded and your mother let me in so I could call someone to come and get me," I explained, deciding to leave out the whole captors blinded me and left me to fend for myself and your mom smashed the cell phone after I used it part.

Danny continued to chant my name, jumping in circles as he said it. The woman ignored him, calling out, "Mum? Did you le' this man in our house?"

The old woman appeared again and nodded, pointing at me as she said, "He's to take me for sex."

"Mum!" the woman gasped.

The old woman said something in her language and took off again. The young woman came around to see me better and said, "My name is Dina. This is my son, Danny. He knows your name, why is tha'?"

I explained, "I'm a professional wrestler in England on a tour. I really should be getting back. Do you have a cell phone on you?"

She narrowed her eyes with suspicion, asking, "Are you a celebrity?"

 _Jesus, lady. For real?_

"Well, I'm pretty well known, yeah," I answered.

She nodded, asking, "Then tha' means your mates will pay to ge' you back."

 _Oh, shit. I think I liked it better when she thought I was a nobody._

 _:-:_

"John Cena, John Cena, John Cena!" Danny chanted while he bounded around the couch.

"Yeah, you said that, like, twenty-five thousand times ago," I mentioned with an annoyed smile.

He stopped and smiled broadly at me, then he started again, but this time he chanted, "I love John Cena, I love John Cena, I love John Cena!"

My stomach churned heavily and I had to breathe slowly to keep from hurling. Dina had at least given me something to eat, but I was having more trouble keeping it down than when I was hungry. At least the old woman had stopped attempting sexual deviance with me, so that was a plus.

Danny continued chanting, so I sat up and waved my hand in front of my face, telling him, "You can't see me!"

He stopped and gasped with awe, then he started laughing, trying to imitate me. Dina watched us from across the room with a curious look on her face. I acted like I wasn't watching her, but I was keeping an eye on her every move, and her expressions were telling me a lot.

It was becoming more and more obvious to me that she _did_ know who I was. If she were helping my captor, I would probably get no help from her, but if not, I could possibly persuade her to get me out of this place.

"You've got this down! I really couldn't see you!" I told Danny.

He beamed excitedly, then I told him, "Why don't you show your grandma how invisible you can be?"

He nodded and rushed off to find her. I looked at Dina and asked politely, "May I ask where I am, exactly?"

Dina crossed her arms and legs defensively, asking, "Why do you need to know tha'? So you can tell someone where you are?"

I held my hands up in defeat, explaining, "Look, lady, I have no way of telling anyone where I am. I just want to know if I'm even still in England. I was in Manchester last, that's all I know for sure."

She reluctantly replied, "Well, you're still in England. Manchester's close bu' don' think you can make it if you walk."

My stomach lurched again. I groaned and rolled over on my side. Dina stood up, asking me, "You sick?"

I sighed, confessing, "I think so. My boss Wade is going to be so pissed with me."

Dina's eyes went wide.

"Wade? Wade Barre'?" she asked quickly.

"Yeah, the same," I said casually.

She pointed at me and said, "Wai' righ' there! Move an' you'll be sorry!"

I nodded and she left the room. A few minutes later, she came back, looking distraught. I asked, "What's wrong?"

"I called Wade. He's a mate of mine from the ol' days. He's already on his way. Don' know how he found ou' you were here," she answered.

I kept quiet about my call to Randy and waited for someone to arrive. Within minutes, there was a strict knock at the door, then Wade's voice bellowed from the other side, "Le' us in, Dina!"

Dina rushed to the door and opened it quickly. Wade gave her a stern look as he walked in. Randy was right behind him, and I smiled weakly when he looked over at me. Randy rushed to my side, while Wade kept his focus on Dina, asking, "Why the hell does he look like tha'?"

"I dunno! He was like tha' when I go' here! I fed him an' gave him tea an' he go' worse!" she argued.

"John? John, you alright?" Randy whispered to me.

I must've looked even worse than I felt. I struggled to reply, "My stomach hurts. I feel like shit."

"Come on, let's get you to the limo," Randy started to help me up.

Wade came to my other side and they both led me outside. Dina yelled at us as we left, "Don' I ge' somethin' for watchin' over him?"

Wade replied over his shoulder, "Ask again an' you'll get my fist up your arse!"

I was surprised that Wade was even bothering to help. He and Randy slid me into the limo, then Randy took the seat next to me, while Wade sat across from us, staring me down as the limo pulled out onto the main road and headed back to Manchester.

The further we drove, the worse I felt. Randy kept trying to get my attention, telling me, "We're getting you to a hospital. Wade's already made arrangements so you won't have to wait. Look at me, Cena. Look at me."

It was hard to keep my focus. Randy seemed to know that, so he tried to ask me random questions to maintain my attention.

"Did you know that R-Truth is thinking of doing a song with you? Would that mean that you are both best friends and rapping buddies?"

"Slater looks like the Wendy's chick, but does he need more freckles to look like Pippi Longstocking?"

"If you're the CeNation, then would John Morrison's group be the MorNation?"

"Would Sheamus turn to ash if we left him outside?"

"If Paul Bearer is Kane and Undertaker's father, and he's way short, then does that mean their mother was a giant, and who the hell would find Paul Bearer sexually attractive?"

"You think Santino could kick David Otunga's ass?"

"Why does Darren Young look like you with dark skin? In that case, could you two be in a tag team as Cena-Salt and Darren-Pepper?"

My stomach felt like it was going to implode. I groaned in agony. Randy took my face with his hands and said, "Cena, look at me. Everything is going to be alright."

He leaned in and kissed me softly. I was stunned that he would kiss me while Wade was watching. He pulled away slowly and told me again, "Everything is going to be alright."

"Okay, okay," I said, glancing at Wade.

He had an odd expression on his face, like he was angry. I wondered if he was offended by Randy kissing me.

 _Or was it a look of jealousy?_

 _:-:_

I got to the hospital in one piece. Randy and Wade helped me to a private room, where I was given fluids and a lot of questions from the attending doctor. I realized after a short time that Wade had paid the doctors off, because they didn't bother to ask me the probing questions that most medical experts would when faced with a professional wrestler having extreme side effects after being injected with an unknown substance. Wade was also talking to the doctors consistently, and they allowed him to stay in the room with me, even after they demanded that Randy leave.

It was late in the night by the time I started to feel better. Randy was allowed back into the room, and it felt good to see him again. He asked as soon as he came up to me, "How do you feel?"

"A lot better than before. I think I'm cured," I smiled.

Wade walked in before Randy could answer me and said, "We're ou' of here."

"What? Did they say what was wrong?" Randy asked.

"Cena's fine. He had an allergy attack is all. We should leave before the press ge' wind of it," Wade answered.

"What about whoever did this to him? What if they try it again?" Randy continued to argue.

Sighing with frustration, Wade explained, "We don' have time for this, Third Place. Ge' your boy an' we'll be on our way."

I started to get up myself, saying, "It's okay, Randy. Wade's right. If we get caught, it'll be headline news."

Randy glared at Wade, but helped me to my feet and led me back out to the limo. We sat in our same positions on the drive back to the hotel, but this time, Wade was looking more amused than concerned.

Randy put his arm around my shoulders, asking, "You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I think I'm okay," I answered honestly.

Wade spoke up with, "You two are such a fine couple."

Randy narrowed his eyes at Wade and asked, "Is that an insult?"

"On the contrary. I think I have a new offer to make to the two of you, an' I think you'll both be willing to hear it," Wade surmised.

"This better be fucking good, Wade," Randy warned.

With a smirk on his face, Wade explained, "You two le' me watch you fuck each other, an' I release Cena from Nexus."

Randy started to get up to lunge at Wade, but I told him, "Wait, Randy."

He stopped, looking back at me with a confused expression. I bargained with Wade, saying, "You watch, with no personal involvement whatsoever, and I'm not only released from Nexus, but you cannot fire me at Survivor Series or any other time, ever. You can't fire Randy for any reason, either. We're done with Nexus, hands down, no strings attached."

Randy sat back so he could stare at me with a stunned expression. Wade just continued to smile wickedly. He reached out his hand to shake mine and said, "No strings. You have my word."

"John, don't," Randy started.

I took Wade's hand and shook it, then I squeezed it hard enough to make him cry out. He pulled his hand away and I told him darkly, "If you go back on your word, you will be so fucking sorry."

 _That wasn't a threat. That was a promise._


	8. Chapter 8

8:

It was Monday morning in Manchester, England.

I was awake, but I didn't want to open my eyes. I knew that when I did, I would have to get up and check my new cell phone and find dozens of texts from Wade's phone telling me I had errands to run. He would probably be particularly annoying today, because it had already been set up by the RAW GM that Wade was supposed to win tonight's match against Orton in an effort to keep the fans from knowing what would happen at Survivor Series.

 _He knew that kind of shit pissed me off, and the best way to rub it in my face was to come up with a bunch of dumbass things for me to do._

"Open your eyes, Cena. I know you're awake," Randy's voice said next to me.

I sat up like a shot, startled that he was there. Randy was lying comfortably beside me, resting his head in his arms and watching the pictures on the muted television with mild interest. I calmed down and asked him, "How did you get in here?"

With an arrogant half-smile, Randy informed me, "I have my ways."

I settled back down next to him and we watched the muted television for a while in silence. Then, Randy leaned over and pinched the skin just above my right hip.

"Ow," I said, pulling away from him.

He smiled slightly and did it again. I pushed his hand away, saying more sternly, "Ow! Stop it!"

Randy tried for me again, so I grabbed onto his wrist and rolled over to put his arm into a temporary hold. He immediately started fighting back, and I was beginning to realize that he was purposefully messing with me.

"Come on, Cena! You want to wrestle me, huh? Fight me, bitch!" Randy joked, giving my ass a quick spank with his free hand.

"Ow! Hey!" I laughed, trying to keep his arm in the hold.

I could lift and balance more weight than Randy, and my submission moves were more practiced, but he had a talent for fluidity when he wrestled, making it hard for me to keep a hold on him when he was so good at getting out of it and turning the tables on me before I had time to think it through.

He reached underneath me with his free hand and tried to pinch me again. I tried to roll out of the way, releasing the hold I had on his other arm. He quickly took hold of me around the waist and locked both his arms to restrict my motion.

 _I knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that being banned from actual wrestling was weighing heavily on me, and he was trying to get me to vent some of my frustrations on him._

I started to ease up when I realized his true intentions, but Randy wasn't about to let me give up. He let go of my waist and grabbed my arms, attempting to flip me over so he could pin me as he tried to provoke me, "Come on, John! Fight me!"

Again, I tried to ease up and get out of his hold on me, but Randy continued to use his best efforts to pin me to the bed. I pulled out from underneath him and tried to roll him off the bed, but he was too fast, and he was on top of me again.

"Don't touch me like you do in the ring, Cena. I want you to feel me when you touch me," Randy demanded.

He was referring to a switch that all wrestlers train themselves to turn off in their heads to essentially desensitize them when they're in the ring. With so much close physicality during a match, including being drenched with your sweat as well as the other guy's, among other bodily fluids, a wrestler has to shut down the instinct to react to these conditions to keep a level head, and to keep from being unintentionally stimulated by contact.

 _It was my instinct to use this switch when wrestling, but with Randy, I didn't want to turn it off._

I got out from under him again, but Randy grabbed me by my ankles and pulled me toward him, turning me on my back and pinning my arms down before I had time to roll away.

He stared straight into my eyes, as if he were swallowing my very being with the black pupils in his irises. I spoke my request softly, "Randy, I want to see all of you."

He blinked slowly, then leaned in closely enough to graze my lips with his own, making my insides tingle. He pulled away without actually kissing me, then he said boldly, "No."

"No? Why not?" I asked, confused.

Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to my throat and kissed me several times, then he came back up to meet my eyes again and said, "I don't want you to see me until the time is right."

I thought he was joking again, so I rolled my eyes and replied sarcastically, "When will that be? In the middle of the ring tonight?"

Randy let go of my arms and sat up on his knees, looking away from me like he was hurt by my words. I quickly recanted, "I'm sorry, Randy, I thought you were joking. I don't want to rush it if it means that much to you."

He looked back at me, but with less exuberance this time. I sighed and asked seriously, "Will you do something else for me?"

"What?" Randy asked with intrigue.

"Come here," I reached for him.

He came back down to form with me, then I took his right hand and pushed it down into my boxers, letting him feel the warm, hard stimulation that he had created for me. He smiled just slightly, then he took hold of my shaft and started rubbing it more roughly than I had anticipated.

I grabbed onto his shoulders, gripping them tightly as I closed my eyes and let out sounds of mixed pleasure and pain.

 _Randy's bordering-on-violent, possessive passion was the biggest turn on I had ever experienced._

 _:-:_

"Hey, Cena! Look at this, man!" Otunga shouted.

I knew I would regret it even before I turned to look at him, but I did anyway.

 _And I got a spoonful of pudding to the face._

"Fuckin' A, man!" I shouted, wiping the pudding away as I stood up to confront Otunga.

"Hey! We've go' a match goin' an' I won' le' you two scupper it!" Wade yelled at us from in the ring.

The stage was already set for Monday Night RAW. Wade had taken it upon himself to come out and practice for his match while Nexus watched.

 _I had no fucking clue why. He already knew he was going to win._

"Gabriel, come into the ring an' be my partner until Randy comes," Wade ordered.

With a short sigh, Gabriel got up and went into the ring to help Wade. I sat back down and folded my arms in silent protest, hoping that Randy would come out before I decided to do some very illegal things to shut down Otunga.

As if he had heard my wishes, Randy did appear at the top of the ramp, but he was being escorted by Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, and DiBiase with Maryse by his side.

 _This was about to become quite the show._

Wade glared at the group as they came down to the ring. Slater stood up and asked defiantly, "This session is invitation only! What the hell are all of you doin' here?"

Rhodes put up his hands in defeat, saying with mock innocence, "I'm here to practice my speech on British people with bad oral hygiene."

McIntyre nodded and added, "I'm here to help 'im. Brits do have ugly chops, and even uglier wallies."

Sheamus laughed out loud at the last word, but the rest of us were not sure what it meant.

"We're here to enjoy the open air," DiBiase smiled triumphantly and winked at Maryse.

"It's a closed arena!" Husky Harris pointed out, but DiBiase ignored him.

Wade pointed at Orton and asked, "Wha' is this abou', O?"

Shrugging, Randy replied, "Nothing. I just thought I'd bring a few friends to hang out with your little army of rebels."

Wade scoffed, but didn't argue. While Randy got into the ring, Rhodes and McIntyre made their way to the announcer's table to find a microphone, while Sheamus took a seat next to Slater and DiBiase and Maryse took their seats between Harris and McGuillicutty.

Gabriel got out of the ring and came back over to sit next to me. I hadn't realized until that moment that he had been mostly quiet lately. I leaned in and asked him so that the others didn't hear, "You alright, Gabriel?"

"What? Yeah, I'm fine," he answered distractedly.

"Okay, if you say so," I left it alone.

I watched Wade and Randy discussing their moves in the ring. At one point, Randy nodded and reached out his hand to shake Wade's in agreement. While Wade was shaking his hand, Randy glanced deliberately at me.

 _It was the same hand Randy had used earlier to get me off...twice._

"Testing, testing," Rhodes spoke into the microphone he had found, tapping it to boom the sound.

A high pitched twang of feedback echoed through the speakers, nearly deafening us all. Wade turned around and shouted at Rhodes, "Oi!"

Rhodes imitated an announcer as he spoke through the microphone, saying, "My apologies for that recent annoyance, ladies and gentlemen. It won't happen again. Enjoy your evening."

I looked over at DiBiase and Maryse. They were whispering to each other in hushed tones. Harris was next to Maryse, staring her down like she was a premium grade stake. She suddenly turned to face him and saw his expression. She gave him a deathly glare and shoved her hand in his face to back him off, then she turned her attention back to DiBiase. Harris folded his arms and pouted while McGuillicutty tried to stifle laughter.

"Excuse me, everyone, but your teeth are really bad," Rhodes used a deep, gravely voice to emphasize his words.

Sheamus chuckled, but his attention was on Wade and Randy. I nodded at Sheamus and asked, "So how has life been for you?"

He looked at me with his usually pessimistic expression, stating sarcastically in his thick Irish accent, "It's jus' dandy, pretty boy. I'm an Irishman in England."

I didn't quite get the joke, but the look on Sheamus' face made me think it wasn't a silly one.

Wade and Randy started trying some moves together, while DiBiase and Maryse started noisily making out, to the chagrin of McGillicutty and Harris, who were being shoved and kicked by flailing arms and feet. Harris finally got up and left, saying, "I can't deal with this shit."

Sheamus scoffed and leaned back to stretch, purposefully swatting Slater in the head as he did so. Slater turned to face Sheamus and shouted, "What the fuck?"

"Wha'? A man can't roll out and relax himself?" Sheamus argued defiantly.

Rhodes started beat boxing into the microphone, which put Wade off focus just long enough for Randy to shove him into the ring ropes.

Wade went wide eyed and shouted, "Wha' the fuck did you jus' do?"

Everybody went silent. Randy just smiled deviously and replied, "I was just going along with your play, Wade."

Wade turned to me without warning and shouted, "Wha' did _you_ jus' do, Cena?"

I put my hands up in defeat, saying, "I didn't do anything."

Wade pointed at me and continued ranting, "You are the referee of this match, an' you should be in the ring! Ge' in here now!"

"Alright," I said, getting up to climb into the ring.

DiBiase and Maryse went back to making out. Rhodes went back to his so-called speech practice. I slid underneath the bottom rope, but I was met with Wade's anger before I even got up as he shouted, "Wha' was tha' look for?"

"What look? I don't have a look," I said honestly.

Wade continued to shout at me, saying, "There was a look an' I'm givin' you car duties because of it! Tha' means I wan' my car cleaned ou' an' shined after the show tonight."

"Alright. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to have a look," I said.

I glanced at Randy. His jaw was tightly clenched.

"Le's ge' back to it, then," Wade started on Randy again.

Randy suddenly grabbed him and shoved Wade hard enough to make him smack into the mat. Slater started to get up to see if Wade was alright, but Sheamus put his foot out and tripped Slater, making him land hard outside of the ring.

Wade looked at me instead of Randy, yelling, "Aren' you goin' to disqualify 'im for tha'?" 

I shook my head, saying, "It's just practice, Wade. I can't disqualify him."

Wade's expression went dark. He stated boldly, "No more of this! Nexus, we're leavin' now!"

The Nexus members were all too happy bail. I mouthed a good-bye to Randy and got out of the ring. Wade got out as well, but stormed past me and walked out of sight without even acknowledging I was there.

 _There was going to be hell to pay._

 _:-:_

Randy stood backstage, waiting for the moment when his song would play to cue him out to the ring. I came up behind him to wait for my cue. We had already discussed his speech, where he would badmouth me, then I would come out and defend myself. We would look like we hated each other, like there was so much tension between us, and like I may or may not betray him come Survivor Series.

He turned around and pulled me into him, mashing his lips against mine and sinking his tongue into my mouth to taste me inside. I was caught off-guard, feeling a wave of nervousness and excitement when I realized that we could be caught at any moment.

He pulled away, but kept his hands on my face, looking me in the eyes as he said, "I'm sorry I got you into trouble earlier. That was a stupid move."

I shook my head, saying, "I'll be fine. It's nice to see someone get under Wade's skin for once."

Randy was unconvinced, saying, "I don't think this is fine. Wade was really mad."

His music started. I playfully shoved him away from me, saying, "Go. You don't want to be late for the fans."

Giving me a quick and predatory smile, Randy turned on his heel and walked out to the ramp. I came out minutes later and argued with him like we planned. When we got backstage again, we separated so that the show could start flowing.

I was surprised when Wade allowed me to have my match with Otunga. He didn't even mention his recent restriction on my wrestling capabilities. In fact, he didn't mention anything at all. Wade only spoke to me when we were out in the ring.

The Miz made Randy lose the final match to Wade, an idea that Wade had come up with at almost the last minute. I wasn't supposed to see Miz using his finisher on Randy, but I felt Randy hit the mat while I stood at the edge of the ring and argued with Otunga.

 _It was a damn hard hit._

I followed Miz and Alex Riley backstage, then I asked Miz when we were out of view of the others, "What was with the hard hit on Randy, Miz?" 

He nodded at me, saying, "Oh, you like that? Wade told me to use some toughness with my finisher on Randy. He said it would look a lot better, and it sure as hell did."

"Did Randy know about it?" I asked.

"Wade said he already talked to Randy. It's cool," Miz waved my concern away with his hand.

 _I highly doubted any of this was cool._

 _:-:_

I took Wade's car out to get it cleaned and shined like he asked, driving as fast as legally possible to get back to the hotel once I was done so I could see Randy again. Just as I was checking in, Randy texted me to ask if I was at the hotel yet. I responded that I was going to Wade's room first, then I would be free for the night. He texted me back:

HURRY UP. I WANT TO PLAY OR I'LL BE A DULL BOY.

I smiled and put my phone away. I walked up to Wade's room and knocked on the door. I heard him say on the other side, "Enter."

I stepped inside, finding Wade sitting by the far wall with a mostly empty bottle of lager in his hand. There were several other empty bottles of alcohol on the floor around him. I closed the door and quietly walked over to him, asking, "Wade?"

He didn't look up at me initially, but said with slurred speech, "Where ya bun off to, Ceeena?"

"I went to clean and shine your car, like you asked me to," I pulled out the keys and handed them back to him.

He seemed to ignore me, asking off-subject, "You still a luttle down since hospital vusut?"

"You mean when you and Randy took me to the hospital? I think I'm okay. A little weak, but nothing I can't handle," I answered.

Wade nodded slightly and said, "You wonder why you...why tha' haws?"

"The house I found when I was stranded? I was just glad it was there. I probably would've died if it weren't," I answered.

Wade pointed at himself and said, "Tha' was my mate's haws. My mate. Wonder why tha' is?"

For a moment, I was confused. Then Wade smiled broadly at me and it became blindingly clear.

 _It wasn't coincidence that I happened upon a house that belonged to a friend of Wade's. It was the plan all along._

Without thinking, I lunged at Wade. He flew out of his chair and we both hit the floor. Wade quickly sobered up and grabbed one of the bottles on the floor, smashing it over my head.

I fell away from him, reaching back to see if he had made a gash. Wade took the opportunity and jumped on top of me, slamming his knees into my chest to knock the wind out of me.

I gasped for air. Wade rolled me over and jammed the heel of his left hand into the back of my neck where my surgical scar from when I broke my neck was still visible. The scar tissue burned with pain, and Wade was pressing hard enough to pinch the nerve there so my upper body was almost impossible to move.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He didn't say anything. Instead, Wade grabbed the rim of my jeans and boxers and started pulling them down.

 _What the fuck is happening?  
_

My initial thought was that he was trying to scare me. I told him, "Alright, stop it, Wade. You're freaking me out."

He didn't stop. He pulled my jeans and boxers down to expose my backside, then I heard him unzipping his jeans.

 _What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?_

"Wade, what are you doing? Let go, alright? Let go!" I kept trying to get his attention.

He didn't seem to notice that I was even speaking. I could hear him moving but I couldn't see what he was doing. He pressed his lubricated stiffness up against me, and it became blatantly obvious that he wasn't just trying to scare me.

 _Wade was trying to rape me._

He reached down and I heard him pull his belt out of the loops of his jeans. I couldn't see what he was about to do, but I damn well knew what was coming. He started pelting my backside violently, beating me with enough force to make my head spin with nausea.

I snapped my eyes shut and clenched my teeth, trying desperately not to cry out and provoke him. He shouted at me while he hit me, "You like tha', Cena? You would like it if Randy was here, yeah?" 

He suddenly stopped, whispering to me, "Our deal is off. I don' want to see Randy fuck you. I'll jus' fuck you instead an' ruin you for 'im, then beat 'im for the Championship an' watch you both burn."

I don't know how I did it, but I managed to bring my right elbow back to make a direct hit.

Wade fell backward, stunned. I was sure I only managed to hit his arm, so I whirled around and went for a place that wouldn't let him bounce back easily.

I smashed my fist into his exposed erection, and watched as he cried out in agony and fell back against the wall.

Adrenaline kicked in. I pulled my jeans back up and rushed out of the room before Wade had a chance to react.

Everything was blurry. I looked down the hallway, temporarily dazed.

 _Where am I? Where am I? Where am I?  
_

"Help?" I tried to yell, but it came out as only a whisper.

Tears were streaming down my cheeks, but I couldn't feel them. I stumbled down the hallway, feeling the numbness from my backside traveling down the back of my legs.

Or was it blood?

"Help?" I called out again, but this time, I didn't hear any sound.

"Six...five...nine..." I struggled to remember Randy's room number.

 _Randy? Where is he? Where am I?_

My thoughts weren't making sense. My body wasn't making sense. I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing.

Then, I stopped.

"Six five nine?" I whispered to myself, trying to concentrate on the door number in front of me.

It looked like it said the right numbers. I reached out to knock, then I second guessed myself. I stood there for what seemed like hours, but it was probably only seconds before the door opened and I saw Randy standing there.

"John?" his expression was a mix of concern...and horror.

The tears wouldn't stop falling now. I still couldn't feel them, but when I fell against Randy, I could feel him.

 _He may be all I could ever feel again._


	9. Chapter 9

9:

For the next seven days, Randy didn't let me out of his sight.

We toured Europe with the rest of the roster, and as far as most of them knew, everything was normal. Only Wade and I knew all of the details of what happened. I told Randy most of it, but I left out the part where Wade tried to rape me, because I couldn't bear the thought of having to visit Randy in prison after he murdered Wade. For the time being, Randy confiscated my cell phone and kept me from answering any of Wade's texts or calls.

"Oh, hi, Wade. FUCK YOU!" Randy hung up on Wade the first time he tried to call.

Wade wouldn't try to talk to me in person, but sent various members of Nexus to check up on me. I didn't have to deal with them, either, because Randy got to them first. It was like an extended vacation, spending all my time with Randy and no time with The Nexus. I was nervous at first, thinking Wade would try to talk to Vince or the RAW General Manager just to get me back to my assistant duties, but as the days passed without incident, I became assured that Wade was backing off.

The bruising on my backside was painful, but as a professional wrestler, pain is a part of the job, and one of our talents is knowing about the most effective remedies to kill pain and heal injuries. Randy had a particularly odd smelling white paste that he swore by, and he insisted on massaging it onto my injuries every day.

 _I wasn't about to complain about that._

He wouldn't tell me what the remedy was exactly, but it was healing the bruising faster than I expected, and I could walk around without looking awkward. The most pain I felt was when I got up in the morning, and the morning before we were leaving to go back to the States, I felt particularly sore, so I was lying on my stomach in bed, watching the sunlight drift in through our hotel window while Randy paced the room and argued with Slater through my cell phone.

"You can tell Wade that Cena and I are taking a later flight. He doesn't need to know when, and he doesn't need to know why, and if any of you Nex-shits are there waiting for us, I'll put my foot in your asses and dance you around like puppets," Randy threatened.

I chuckled, trying to imagine Randy kicking his foot so Slater would dance in the middle of the airport. It was both disgusting and hilarious.

"You can't just fuckin' do whatever you want and expect us-" Slater yelled through the phone, but Randy ended the call before he could finish.

"Oh, man," I grumbled.

"What? What's wrong?" Randy was at my side in a moment's notice.

I tried to get up, saying, "My ass hurts but I gotta pee. Can you just lead me to the bathroom?"

Randy sighed with frustration and helped me to my feet. I asked, "Are you upset about something?"

He led me to the bathroom, saying thickly, "I just thought it'd be me who made your ass hurt so bad you couldn't get up."

I looked up at him, and he smiled wryly. I wasn't sure if the comment was his dry sense of humor kicking in, or if he were serious.

 _Probably a little of both._

Randy took me into the bathroom and I started pulling away from him, saying, "I think I can take it from here."

"You need me to get you anything else? A change of clothes? Bubbles for your bath? I could hold your wee wee while you tinkle," Randy joked.

I laughed despite my pain, saying, "Would you get out? I can't pee when there's an audience."

He continued to joke to lift my spirits, replying, "Oh, so you only want people watching you when you pump up your sneakers."

My cell phone rang, so Randy turned to leave, but I argued with him, "Hey, that was years ago and it was really cool at the time!"

Randy answered my cell, and his tone went dark. I knew instantly that it was Wade from Randy's strained words as he said, "We're not getting on the damn plane with you. We'll be at the arena as scheduled and we'll talk about what we have to do for RAW, but until then, you won't be seeing John."

I finished peeing and inched my way to the tub for a shower. Wade must've argued with Randy, because I heard Randy yell into the phone, "Why do you think I'm doing this, Barrett? You think you deserve to talk to Cena after what you fucking did?"

I slowly took off my shirt and started on my boxers, turning away from the open door. I couldn't hear Randy over the running water, but I assumed he was still bantering with Wade. I let my boxers drop to the floor, exposing myself completely to get into the shower. I was startled when I heard Randy say from just behind me, "He tried to rape you."

He didn't say it as a question, so I knew that Wade had blurted the truth.

 _I was hoping Wade was drunk enough to forget that part of the evening._

"Please. Randy, don't kill him, he was drunk, and he was out of his mind, and he didn't succeed, and I will not be responsible for you serving a life term after you gut Wade in the arena parking lot!" I shouted.

I locked eyes with him, but Randy's expression was blank. He suddenly came forward and brought my lips to his, then he kissed me almost violently for over a minute before he pulled away and whispered somberly, "The only reason I won't kill him is because you told me not to."

"Thank you," I breathed a sigh of relief.

Randy looked away and clenched his jaw. I asked, "What are you thinking?"

Turning back to search my eyes for the truth, Randy asked outright, "Did he do it to punish you because of me?"

I violently shook my head, replying, "No, no, it wasn't like that. I think Wade has been...lusting after me for a while."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" Randy became more upset.

"I didn't know anything for sure. He just gave me looks sometimes, but he was never obvious about it. I didn't even think he was capable of kidnapping until he confessed it to me right before he took me down," I said.

Randy calmed down, but I could tell he was still bothered. I added, "I don't know what Wade's intentions are, but as long as I'm with you, I know I'm safe from whatever he throws my way."

Randy gave me one last kiss, then he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine, saying quietly, "I love you, John Cena."

I pulled away to look up at him, taken aback by his words. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at me in a way that no one had ever looked at me before. I knew that he meant exactly what he said, and he knew that I felt it, too.

I opened my mouth to say it back to him, but my cell phone rang from the other room again. Randy growled with frustration and reluctantly turned to leave. I turned back to get into the shower, suddenly realizing that my pain had all but disappeared.

 _Randy had a way of making me feel euphoric._

 _:-:_

We boarded a later flight like Randy had scheduled, and surprisingly, Nexus and Wade weren't waiting for us.

 _I was glad. I didn't think Randy the Anal Puppeteer would be a hit with the airliner._

Randy drove us to the arena in his old beat up truck, purposefully parking far away from Nexus vehicles. Randy didn't tell me until we were inside, "Wade wants to see you about his idea for a triple threat encounter on RAW tonight during Piper's Pit. I told him he could only talk to you, but you weren't going back to assisting him just yet. He agreed."

My stomach tied into knots at the thought of having to see Wade again. It would be the first time we had come face-to-face since he confessed to abducting me, then followed up with torture and attempted rape. My footsteps slowed, but Randy was on a mission, so I jogged to catch up with him just as he opened a random door and walked in, asking, "Anyone here?"

Randy stopped inside and I almost walked into him. I could hear moaning and I spotted the source by the far wall. Teddy DiBiase was completely naked and thrusting Maryse into the wall while she clutched the back of his head and held his face firmly between her breasts. I quickly put my hand over my eyes, but I couldn't help peeking.

 _I never knew Maryse could make a face of pleasure without a name brand being involved._

Without skipping a beat, Randy nodded at DiBiase and asked, "What's up, Teddy?" 

"Me," DiBiase joked, continuing to pound into Maryse while he lolled his head back to smile wickedly at us.

"You seen Wade?" Randy asked, seemingly having no problem with the erotic moment he was interrupting.

"Down the hall and to the right," DiBiase instructed.

Maryse stuck her hand out at us like she usually did when she wasn't impressed. Orton let out an irritated sigh and turned on his heel to leave. I ran into him trying to get out myself, removing my hand from my face as we came back out to the hallway and Randy closed the door and left the rich couple alone.

He started walking again, and I followed him in silence. Midway to our destination, Randy looked back at me and mentioned, "Did you ever see Maryse look so happy when there wasn't something expensive involved?"

"I was pretty much thinking the same thing!" I answered, and we both laughed.

"Shit, now I'm all hot and bothered and seeing Wade's gonna fuck it up for me," Randy said.

"That was pretty intense," I replied, unsure if Randy was joking or not.

He stopped and turned to face me, asking, "You want to make a moment of our own in an empty room?"

I smiled at him, but his expression was mischievous, and I was beginning to think he really was being serious.

Slater appeared from a room down the hallway before I could know for sure, nodding at me as he said, "Wade's been waiting for you."

He didn't even look at Randy, but went back into the room. Randy stayed close to me as we made our way inside, spotting Wade playing a game of pool with Harris, McGuillicutty and Otunga in what looked like a makeshift break room. Slater went back to sit down next to Punk and Gabriel by the far wall. I glanced at Punk, but he was looking away from me, and he seemed to be deliberately trying not to make eye contact.

Wade put down his cue stick and reached out to me as he came forward, saying, "The prodigal son returns!"

He was acting completely harmless, but the mere sight of him was unleashing all of my memories of him, not just from last week but from every time he symbolically and literally spit in my face. The memories were threatening to overwhelm me, and I knew if Wade tried to hug me, I would lose it in front of Randy and The Nexus.

Randy seemed to sense my disdain, because he moved between us before Wade could touch me. I didn't dare breath as Wade's expression went from welcoming to brooding, and he became defensive, alerting Nexus to stand up and brace for a fight.

 _If this becomes a brawl, Randy and I are on our own._

Looking Randy in the eyes, Wade asked, "Wha' do you wan', Third Place?"

The Nexus snickered to add to Wade's insult. Randy remained unmoving as he answered, "You said you wanted to talk to us about RAW tonight. Say your piece."

Wade glanced back at me, and I was almost sure he was going to ask something of me, but instead, he lessened his defense and said passively, "I want an argument with words to brace for Survivor Series, then Randy 'ill give Cena the RKO for tryin' to keep me out of harms way, an' Cena 'ill give both Randy and I the Attitude Adjustment an' walk ou' of the ring."

 _Did Wade just say he wanted me to use my finisher on him without consequence? Jet lag really does mess with your head._

"You want Cena to A. A. both of us?" Randy asked suspiciously.

"Tha's wha' I said, O! It'll give the fans the idea tha' Cena's still go' some heart after all I put 'im through. Fans like tha' sort of thing," Wade surmised.

There was a moment of thoughtful silence, then Randy asked exactly what I was thinking, "Then what?"

Wade put up his hands in defeat, answering, "Wha' nothin'! We leave the ring, the show ends, sleep tigh', good 'morrow."

Randy narrowed his eyes like he wasn't sure whether to believe Wade or not, but I broke in with, "Deal."

Everyone turned to look at me with shocked expressions. I shrugged and said, "Sounds good. I'll finish you both so the fans won't know who I'm rooting for at Survivor Series and they'll have hope I'm coming out of it alive. Makes for a great show."

Wade clapped his hands together and said, "It's settled, then. Now, on to other business. Cena, I have a list for you..."

"Sorry, I've got other work to do. I'll get back to you later," I said, turning to leave.

"Oi!" Wade shouted, but Randy and I walked out and slammed the door before he could call us back inside.

"What did you just do?" Randy asked.

"I don't know. Let's get out of here," I started walking away quickly.

Randy followed after me, sporting a proud smile.

 _:-:_

RAW went on the air, and the fighting began. Randy and I went to the locker room before going out to Piper's Pit, but Randy got a call to meet up with R-Truth, so he told me before he left, "Stay here. I'll be right back."

"I'm still getting ready. I won't go anywhere," I said.

Randy nodded and left me alone in the locker room. I was looking for my seat bands, paying no attention to my surroundings as I searched my locker for them. I finally spotted them on the shelf and took them out, closing the door to reveal someone standing next to me. I jumped and took a step back, calming down when I realized it was Punk.

"What do you want?" I asked, using a defensive tone just in case.

Punk put his hands up and explained, "I'm only here to talk to you. I want you to know that even though I've been hanging out with Slater, I haven't said anything about you and Randy and I don't plan to."

I nodded and said, "Well, thank you for that."

I sat down to put on my sneakers, thinking the conversation was over, but Punk didn't leave. Instead, he stood next to me and explained further, "I'm okay with whatever you and Randy are all about, okay? I mean, I don't know if it's a good thing to have a relationship between co-workers, especially when said co-workers have the opportunity to settle disputes in a wrestling ring, but each to his own."

"I think we'll be fine, Punk. Thanks," I said, hoping he would take the hint and leave.

"There's just a lot that I want to say to you, and I think we got off on the wrong foot and you have this idea about me that's not right," Punk began again.

I finished putting my shoes on and stood up, saying, "I've got to go now, Punk. We'll talk later."

 _I don't care what Randy said. I wasn't staying in here another minute with Punk._

I started to leave, but Punk stopped me when he shouted, "Have security check the top of the ramp just behind the curtain before you go out!"

"What? Why?" I asked, concerned.

Punk bit his pierced lip like he had said too much. He struggled to tell me, "Just do it, okay?"

"Alright, I will," I said.

 _:-:_

As soon as Randy came back, I told him what Punk said and we both had security check where Punk had instructed. I watched them closely, waiting for one of them to find something and inform me that I could've been seriously injured if it had gone unnoticed, but after several minutes, the head of security told me, "All clear."

"What? Oh, okay," I said, trying not to raise his suspicions.

Randy leaned into me and whispered, "Do you think he was wrong?"

I shrugged. My music started, so I knew I had to get out to the ring. I carefully stepped onto the ramp, but nothing happened as I made my way out. I argued with Piper, then argued with Wade. It was harder for me to keep my bearings so close to Wade, but I was able to hide my feelings knowing that Randy would be out to pummel him soon. Sure enough, Randy appeared, and I gave them both the A. A. just like Wade instructed.

As soon as I walked backstage, Nexus was standing there waiting for me. I braced for impact, but they didn't attack me. Instead, Slater warned, "Don't get too used to the feeling of finishing Wade, Cena."

"Yeah, that was a one-time thing," Otunga added.

"Right. I'll just be leaving now," I moved past them, stepping around the edge of the ramp to do so.

I glanced down and noticed a drill lying on the floor next to the top of the ramp. It wasn't unusual for the setup crew to leave tools lying around from time to time, but Punk's message came back into my mind when I saw the drill.

 _Maybe Punk was right all along, but someone overheard us and played clean up before I could find out for sure._

I kept walking so Nexus didn't notice that I saw anything. As long as they thought I was still oblivious to everything, we could just keep on being mortal enemies with no reason for an all-out war.

 _:-:_

The rest of the roster left for their hotels, but Randy and I were the last to leave because I wanted to stay behind a couple more hours to help the crew load up the trucks. I was also hoping to waste time so that Wade and The Nexus would be long gone.

Once the trucks were loaded and gone, Randy and I walked back to his truck. Randy asked me when we were alone, "You sure you should've been doing all that lifting when you're still healing?"

"I feel fine," I shrugged.

"Guess my remedy works too well on you. I'll have to lay off it so you don't offer to help load the trucks again," Randy joked.

"Aw, no more cheek massages?" I mocked disdain.

Randy let out a hearty laugh, and I was completely immersed in him. I didn't even notice Wade stepping out from behind Randy's truck until Wade shouted, "Oi!"

We both stopped and Wade stated to me, "Where 'ave you been?"

"None of your business," Randy stated.

Wade ignored Randy, focusing on me as he said, "I compromised you las' week, an' you compromised me in the ring this week. Tha' makes us even. You're back to assistant duties now, Cena."

Randy opened his mouth to argue, but I shot back before he could, "Are you kidding me? You think one A. A. makes up for the damage you've done?"

Wade pointed at me, arguing, "Don' make this a sob story, Cena. We both know you like havin' me order you around!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The shock on Randy's face made me think he was thinking the same thing. Wade continued without remorse, "I knew you wouldn't be harmed when I le' Slater an' Otunga drive you out to be stranded. It was jus' my way of teachin' you a lesson. The effects of the drugs was purely accidental, but it made the lesson sink in all the better."

Wade smiled a little and stated, "As far as las' week, we both know you've wanted a pity fuck from me since I made you-"

Wade didn't get to finish his sentence. His face was busy being slammed into the pavement because Randy gave him a parking lot-style RKO.

"Oh my fuck!" I shouted, watching Wade's get knocked out cold as his head bounced off the cement.

Randy quickly rose back to his feet, seething at Wade with undaunted ferocity.

Then Randy's expression became one of shock, and he looked at me as he asked, "What the hell did I just do?"

"We should run away now," I said, and Randy and I both took off toward his truck.

Randy peeled out of the parking lot and drove through back roads as we broke into a fit of laughter. It was late when Randy stopped at a random lake in the middle of nowhere for the night, and we still couldn't stop laughing as he pulled out some blankets and we laid them out in the back of the truck to stay the night.

When we couldn't laugh anymore, Randy looked at me, and I looked back at him. He slowly backed off away from me toward the lake, pulling off his shirt, then unzipping his jeans as he beckoned for me to join him with a wry smile.

The moonlight was bright enough to see him easily. He pulled out of his shoes, balled his socks up and tossed them aside, then let his pants drop just before he reached the water. I could see Randy completely, and I had no complaints. He was not only everything I believed, but he was more well endowed than most in one very important place.

 _Damn. How did he fit himself into his wrestling trunks?_

Randy turned away from me and ran into the lake, diving underwater so I couldn't see him. I started taking off my own clothes and stepped into the water, but a quick look around showed no sign of Randy.

"Orton? Where are you?" I called out.

He still didn't show himself, so I took in a breath and dove underwater to find him. I swam around in the shallow part of the water, but I could barely see anything in the darkness. I was caught by surprise when Randy appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me by the face, mashing his lips against mine as he took my breath away and I took his.

We broke the surface and Randy continued kissing me, his passion increasing as we got out of the water and he led me to the back of the truck. We lay down together and Randy broke away from my lips and started kissing my body, using his tongue to lick the droplets of water from every inch of my skin.

I could see him getting stiff just from tasting me, and his touch was arousing me as well. He came back up to meet me and asked, "Do you want to do this?"

"Yes," I answered honestly.

He reached for a bag nearby and pulled out a condom and a bottle of lube, telling me as he used both on himself, "I don't want to make your injury worse. I'll go slow, but if it hurts too much, you tell me to stop."

"Okay," I said, letting him prop my knees over his shoulders.

Randy used his momentum to hold me up at an angle, then he slowly made his way inside of me. It felt painful in a way that I had never experienced before, and it was both frightening and erotic at the same time. Randy held my arms down and focused his gaze with mine as he made slow, deliberate thrusts with his hips, cautiously moving in and out while he gauged me for signs that I might be in too much pain to continue. I let him go on, not worried about whatever pain was being created, because it wasn't enough to make me want him to stop.

Randy's erection was creating friction inside that started to induce a kind of pleasure that I had not experienced before. It felt stronger than any form of stimulation I was aware of, and it kept getting stronger the more Randy moved.

I started groaning just to ease the building pressure, and Randy slowed himself, asking, "Am I hurting you?" 

"No. Go faster," I answered.

Randy did as I said, and the stimulation became even stronger, but it was followed by a wave of pain from my injury trying to resurface.

I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the pain and focus only on the pleasure. Randy slowed again, asking, "John?"

"Keep going, keep going...faster..." I urged him.

He did, and I opened my eyes again, watching Randy as he let out groans of his own, climbing toward his peak. His grip on my arms went tighter, and Randy leaned in to steal a kiss from me. When he did, the pain from my injury doubled, but I refused to cry out because I knew it would make Randy stop.

"Don't stop, don't stop," I started saying aloud.

"John," Randy breathed, and I knew he was reaching his end.

The new pleasure intensified with the pain. It threatened to overwhelm me as I shouted without thinking, "Fuck me like Wade never could, Randy!"

My words seemed to inspire something inside of Randy that I didn't expect. He started pushing and pulling hard, shoving my arms behind my head and pinning them there as Randy took physical control of me.

I never came so hard before. Randy felt his at almost the same moment, his seed gushing out into his condom while mine stained his stomach. He pulled out and rolled over beside me, resting his hand over my mess but neglecting to wipe it away.

My backside was throbbing with pain from my injury, but I didn't care. I felt better than I had in a long time. I looked over at Randy, who was smiling broadly while he stared up at the stars. I asked him, "Do you want me to get a towel to wipe off your stomach?"

He just shook his head, telling me, "No. I want to leave it there for a while longer."

I closed my eyes and rested beside him, whispering, "I love you, too, Randy Orton."


	10. Chapter 10

10:

I laced up my shoes and checked the old clock on the wall. It was 3 A.M. I didn't seem to think the time was strange. Instead, I thought to myself that it was almost time for my match on RAW. I stood up and walked out to the hallway to find Wade and Nexus, thinking that they would be looking for me. I was certain that the match I was about to have was very important, and the crowd would be disappointed if they didn't see me win.

Who was my opponent? I couldn't seem to remember. I saw another clock and double checked the time. It said 5 A.M. Again, I didn't see it as odd. I kept walking, finding the hallway to be extraordinarily long and dark. I finally came upon a door and opened it, walking in to find The Nexus with their backs to me, standing around something and talking amongst themselves.

I didn't see Wade, so I asked, "Where's Barrett?"

No one acknowledged me. Slater turned to Otunga and said, "I can't believe Wade has this."

McGillicutty shook his head and replied, "No way did he get them so easily."

Otunga argued, "It's totally legit. He took them from Cena like a fat man taking a cake."

The Nexus laughed. I became confused, asking, "What are you guys talking about?"

They still ignored me, so I walked around to see what they were all looking at. I caught sight of an oversized jar sitting in the middle of what looked like a TLC table. When I came close, I saw that there were two round objects inside the jar. I leaned in closely to see them better, and it suddenly dawned on me what they were.

Gabriel said it aloud, "Wade actually cut off Cena's balls and put them in a jar."

I woke up with a start out of the dream. The bright sunlight hurt my eyes and my injury hurt like hell and made it hard to move. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was still in the back of Randy's truck, and he was standing beside it shaking me awake. I squinted to see him and asked, "What's up?"

He had a look of deep concern on his face as he replied, "We've got to go."

:-:

Randy didn't speak as we packed up and left the lake. He kept his focus on the road, and I checked his speed several times, noticing that he kept inching higher and higher as we drove. My injury felt worse than ever, and I kept shifting in my seat to find a comfortable position. Finally, Randy asked me, "What's the matter? Did I hurt you last night?"

"No, I'm just sore. It's always worse in the morning, you know that," I lied, shifting in my seat again.

Randy narrowed his eyes at me like he didn't believe a word I said, but he dropped it. I could tell he was agitated, and his speed suggested that he wasn't worried about breaking the law to get to where we were going, so I asked, "What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Randy clenched his jaw and breathed through his nose. I could tell he was making a strong effort to hold in his rage. I asked again, "What? Tell me!"

"Vince called this morning. Wade's filing a formal complaint against me," Randy said.

"For the RKO in the parking lot? I didn't think he'd bring that up because it would make him look stupid," I replied.

Randy shook his head, explaining, "It isn't that. Turns out Wade's been talking to Vince and the RAW General Manager about a lot of things, but he's been leaving out important parts and spinning his own version of things. He told Vince and the RAW G. M. about your abduction in Manchester, but he left out the part that I was actively involved in your rescue, and instead told them that I may have been involved in a plot to leave you stranded."

I listened intently as Randy continued, "He told them that I've been trying to get rid of you to get back at Wade and to thwart Wade's chances at the WWE Championship come Survivor Series. He told them I've been drugging you, and that's why you've been acting strangely lately and you've been avoiding the other wrestlers."

"That's bullshit. No one is going to believe it," I argued.

Randy sighed and said, "There's more."

I waited, and he reluctantly told me, "Wade told them that I've been beating on you. He told them about your injury as proof of my abuse. He also told them that...I raped you."

"What the fuck? There's no way that will stick! Wade is going to look like an ass when I tell them what's going on!" I shouted.

Randy replied somberly, "It's not up to you, John. They think you've been drugged so they won't believe that you're coherent enough to explain what really happened. They'll see your injury and a rape kit will come out positive because of what we did last night."

I was completely stunned. Wade had somehow managed to turn everything upside down. Randy's efforts to save me from Wade's wrath now sounded like efforts to abuse and violate me.

 _He was also trying to take away my first time with Randy, and I wasn't about to let that fucking happen._

I shook my head violently, saying, "No, no, it is not going to go down like this. I will do whatever it takes! I will lie, cheat and steal to make sure that Wade Barrett does not do a damn thing to fuck up our lives or the memory of last night!"

Randy looked at me with surprise, asking, "You're bringing Eddie's mantra into this?"

I pointed out, "He brought down some of the most villainous wrestlers in the industry. The man obviously knew what he was talking about!"

Randy smiled and replied, "You're right, but that was in the ring. Our villain is real, and he's playing dirty to get what he wants."

I was out of ideas. I shifted in my seat again, and Randy asked me thickly, "Did I hurt you last night?"

I stared out the window and watched the wheat fields we were passing as I answered, "Any pain you gave me last night was damn well worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Randy didn't reply, but I noticed he had a smirk on his face for the rest of our drive.

:-:

We reached the next arena in the early afternoon. As soon as Randy and I got out of his truck, we were surrounded by a security team. They escorted us through a back entrance and a series of abandoned hallways, leading us into a room where Vince McMahon himself was waiting for us. He was holding a smart phone, probably to communicate with the RAW G. M. Vince focused on Randy first, explaining in a calm but assertive tone, "Now Randy, there are two men in the room across the hall that would like to ask you a few questions. I would suggest cooperating with them completely."

"Absolutely," Randy said, turning to leave.

He gave me a deliberate look before he left. It inspired me to keep my hopes up. The security team left with Randy and Vince motioned for me to sit. I did my best to block out any pain I was feeling from my injury as I sat down and Vince took the seat across from me, looking me over for signs that Wade's story was true. Finally, he asked seriously, "How are you feeling, John?"

I responded by explaining, "This is all a big mistake, Vince. Randy is my best friend and he's been helping me during this tough time. I don't know what Wade has told you, but it's all lies."

Sighing, Vince replied, "It doesn't matter who said what. The accusation has been made and I am legally bound to investigate it for the safety of the wrestlers and this company. Now there are medical experts in the next room who would like to photograph any injuries that you might have, and they're going to ask you to submit to a rape kit as part of the investigation-"

"No! I won't do it!" I stood up and shouted.

Vince stood up with me, arguing, "I know that this is a lot to take in, John, but it has to be done. If you won't submit to testing, I could easily tell them to do it anyway because you may be under the influence of drugs and you're not coherent enough to make the decision for yourself."

I balled my hands into fists and stated, "Do you have any idea what I've been through since I had to join Nexus? Wade has done nothing but make my life a living hell, and now you're telling me that I have to go through a battery of tests because of some shit pile of lies that he made up?"

Vince waited while I paced the room for a minute, then he responded, "I know that things have been crazy between you and Wade; I understand that, but you don't understand that this goes above my head."

I looked at Vince with surprise as he continued, "I own this company, and I can control the people working with it to an extent, but Wade has a way of shifting the uncontrolled portion in a way that could cause a lot more problems than it would solve."

I couldn't believe Vince was telling me this. He breathed a sigh of relief, like it had been weighing on him for a while and he was glad to tell someone. Then he went back to the main point again, asking, "Could you please cooperate with me? People's careers are at stake. Their whole lives could be ruined by the outcome of this accusation."

He was talking about Randy. I let out a groan of frustration, then I asked, "If I go back to Wade right now and continue being his assistant without trouble, will he withdraw his complaint and end this investigation?"

Vince studied me curiously. I told him, "Call Wade and ask him if he'll take the deal. I'm pretty sure he will."

:-:

Within minutes, I was released. Wade was waiting for me in the hallway, but I saw no sign of Randy. I became suspicious, asking, "Where's Randy?"

Wade smiled wryly and replied, "He wasn' so easy to spring. He'll be on his way soon enough."

I wasn't so sure about that, but Wade put his arm around my shoulders and led me away, taking me to the other side of the arena, where The Nexus and CM Punk were waiting for us. As soon as I walked in, Slater glared at me and said, "Looks like Randy's bitch is here."

I started for him, but Wade held me back, pointing at Slater as he stated, "Oi! Tha' accusation has since been withdrawn!"

Slater blushed sheepishly and looked away. It became clear to me that at least The Nexus and Punk knew about the story Wade told Vince and the G. M. What wasn't yet clear to me was who else had heard it.

Smiling broadly, Wade explained, "Now, I have some business to attend to, an' while I'm gone, I'd like all of you to bring Cena up to speed on wha' he's missed so far."

My stomach felt tight. I knew that this was going to end badly for me. Wade turned on his heel and walked away, saying to me before he left, "Glad to have you back, John."

 _As soon as Wade went out the door, I was going to be on the floor._

He closed the door and left me to my own defenses. Everyone but Gabriel and Punk took on predatory looks and slowly started to surround me. Slater shouted at me, "Do you know how much shit we've had to take because of you, Cena?"

"I was on laundry duty all week! Wade made me shine his boots and get him coffee at night," Otunga added.

McGillicutty stated furiously, "All Wade kept asking me was, 'Where's Cena? I wan' Cena!' Go an' find Cena!'"

Harris flanked my right side, adding, "Wade made me talk to Randy in Manchester. When I asked Randy if I could talk to you, he shoved me into the wall and bruised my ribs!"

Slater pointed at me and hissed, "Fuck you and fuck Randy Orton for making our lives miserable!"

Otunga added angrily, "We know that Wade's story about what Randy did to you is a lie, but since no one else knows the truth, we're going to make sure that Randy doesn't bounce back anytime soon."

"You fucking assholes!" I started for them.

They took me down like a pack of starving dogs over a bone. As always, they beat me in places where the bruises wouldn't be noticeable. Slater took one swift kick to my backside, and I cried out so loudly, the guys all stepped back with surprise, then they launched into me a second time, finding a new place to inspire my pain.

It didn't take long before the pain overwhelmed me, and I knew I was going to pass out. I thought I heard Punk shout something like, "Guys, stop!"

The Nexus fell away from me, and I used what was left of my energy to lift my head up. I saw Gabriel coming toward me with a slight smile on his unshaven face, and I thought for a moment that he was going to try to help me up.

Then he brought his boot up and let it drop into my temple, knocking me unconscious.


	11. Chapter 11

11:

"John, are you alright?"

I opened my eyes and saw Punk standing over me. The pain I felt was almost overwhelming as he helped me slowly to my feet. I asked in a daze, "What happened?" 

"Nexus knocked you out and left to the ring for their scheduled match," Punk informed me.

I reached up and felt my head. Gabriel had kicked me hard, but he didn't leave much damage. Punk went on, explaining, "I heard what Dave Otunga said, about no one being able to help Randy. That's not entirely true, because Nexus doesn't know that I know what's going on."

"Are you saying you want to help me and Randy?" I asked, confused.

He clarified, saying, "I wouldn't be doing it for you or Randy. I just don't want to see The Nexus get away with any more shit."

"What exactly would you say?" I asked.

Punk led me out into the hallway and toward the meeting room where I last saw Randy, explaining as we went, "I would convince them that Randy isn't hurting you without telling them about your relationship. All I ask is that you tell The Nexus nothing about my involvement. I'm already in hot water after..."

He drifted off. I saw the look on Punk's face, and it was all too familiar to me.

 _The Nexus had as much dirt on him as they had on everyone else._

Punk regained his composure and pushed me along, saying, "We've got to work fast, before Nexus gets back from their match."

:-:

I paced the hallway for almost half an hour, waiting for Punk to come out with Vince and Randy, but time was dwindling down and no one had made an appearance. I was beginning to lose confidence that Punk was even making a dent in the argument. Then suddenly, the door opened, and Randy stepped out first.

Relief washed over me, and I couldn't help smiling at him. He smiled back for a moment to let me know that he was alright, then he went straight faced when Vince came out, followed by Punk and two geeky looking investigators in suits. Both investigators came over to shake my hand. The blond one said, "Everything has been settled, John. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call us."

He whipped out a card from his suit pocket and handed it to me. The other guy simply nodded and turned away, but the blond one kept beaming at me as they walked off.

 _He was obviously a fan._

Vince took me aside and whispered, "If there is something going on that you're not telling me, or you can't tell me, let the investigators know. They might be able to help."

He gave me a reassuring look and a quick slap on the back before he turned and took off after the investigators, walking the same way he always did: like he has a stick up his ass.

I looked back and saw that Punk had already left. Randy nodded for me to follow him, and we found an abandoned room, locking ourselves inside. Randy took my head in his hands and kissed me passionately, then he broke away and asked immediately, "What did they do to you?" 

"To me? I was worried about you!" I answered.

Randy shook his head, saying, "Doesn't matter what happened to me. Did they do anything to you? Did they run tests on you? If they did you wrong, I swear to fucking God..."

"They let me go," I said.

Randy gave me a quizzical expression, so I explained, "I told Vince that if I went back to Wade, this would all be over. Wade came and picked me up, but I realized too late that he wasn't going to help you."

Clenching his jaw over the mention of Wade, Randy held his tongue, letting me continue, "Wade took me back to The Nexus and left me alone with them. They kicked the shit out of me and Gabriel knocked me out. Thankfully Punk was there to wake me up, and he promised he'd get you out to spite The Nexus."

Randy was silent, then he closed his eyes and drifted off to that place where I could never follow him. I spoke to bring him back, asking, "What are you thinking?" 

"I'm thinking about all the ways I can dismember Nexus and hide the bodies," Randy answered smoothly.

"I think I've got a better idea," I said, making Randy open his eyes to look at me intriguingly.

:-:

"What the fuck, Cena? Get out of my light!" Slater yelled at me, shoving me over.

We were all packed into the limo, headed to the nearest hotel after the show. I found Wade as soon as I parted ways with Randy, and Nexus was none the wiser that anything had developed since they left me out cold on the arena floor. Wade smiled arrogantly at me from his seat just across, thinking that he had all but demolished me since he got me back.

"How many tickets were purchased for this event? One thousand? Two thousand?" Otunga asked the group.

"Fourteen-hundred," Gabriel said, casting me a quick glance before he returned his attention to the window.

"Any hooded figures in the audience?" I asked aloud, referencing the mysterious attacker that came after me and Randy, but had not made an appearance since I was left stranded in Manchester.

The limo went quiet, and Wade and Nexus all stopped to stare at me. I glanced at each of their faces, but no one was registering anything suspicious. I shrugged and remarked passively, "Just making conversation."

"Whatever, Cena! It's best if you don't talk," Slater shot me the loser sign and chaos resumed.

"Wha' do you mean by hooded figga?" Wade asked me curiously.

I pretended like it was no big deal, answering, "Well, sometimes wrestling matches have hooded figures who interfere and they turn out to be another wrestler. It's a good suspenseful story line, but we haven't done it in a while."

Scoffing, Wade mentioned, "Maybe we should look into tha' again."

I nodded and glanced at Gabriel again. He was still looking out the window, but he had a strange look on his face.

 _He looked like he was pissed._

"Driver! Hey driver!" McGillicutty yelled to the front, knocking on the privacy window.

The limo slowed to a stop and the privacy window rolled down. I already knew who it was, but Wade and The Nexus were all stunned when the death-masked driver let go of the wheel and turned to face them, saying in a distorted voice, "How is everyone back there? Enjoying your evening?"

I knew it was Cody Rhodes, but the rest of the guys didn't. They all went for the doors to bail, but as soon as they were outside, they were bombarded by a group of well masked thugs, or as I knew them, good friends from the RAW and Smackdown roster.

Covered from head-to-toe in costume, it wasn't easy to tell who the masked avengers were, but I spotted Randy easily because of his fluid like motions. He had painted his face to look like The Joker in the recent Batman film, and he was even donning a stringy wig that shielded his features and made his Viper-like expression even more venomous.

 _It was easy to see he was completely enjoying himself._

The Nexus was in a panic. I saw Slater get beat down by whom I assumed to be Mark Henry, while Otunga received a punch to the throat from Teddy DiBiase. I thought it was Sheamus and Morrison who took down Gabriel, while Cody got out from the driver's seat and launched into his former NXT rookie, Husky Harris. McGillicutty tried to make a run for it, but he was slaughtered by a literal sidewalk slam from someone I didn't quite recognize, but I could have sworn it was The Undertaker.

Randy was focused only on Wade, but Wade wasn't about to be taken down easily. Wade used his streetwise to throw some punches, and he caught Randy in the shoulder, but Randy head-butted Wade and sent him to the pavement, then Randy launched into him with a series of kicks and punches.

The other masked avengers scattered and disappeared in different directions as planned, leaving only Randy and I behind. I could see Wade was fading fast, but Randy looked like he wasn't about to stop. I knew that if I let Randy continue, Wade would wake up in a hospital.

"Hey!" I shouted.

Randy stopped and looked up at me. I did as we had already rehearsed, acting like I had no idea who the masked men were. I charged up to Randy and shouted, "Get the hell out of here!"

I glanced at Wade to see if he was still conscious. He was barely awake, but he looked up at me with an almost grateful expression, whispering weakly, "Help me, John..."

I grabbed Randy like I was going to stop him, but he pulled me along and we pretended to wrestle each other until we were out of range, then we took off to find our getaway car and drove out of there as fast as we could.

Randy and I were laughing all the way back to the hotel. We laughed as we passed the hotel staff, and they went wide eyed from seeing Randy's Joker face. Randy was almost in tears from laughing so hard as we took the elevator up to his room. We chuckled down the hallway, and we could barely keep it together as Randy unlocked his room and we slipped inside.

As soon as Randy locked the door, we both became serious. He stared me down with a predatory expression, amplified by his Joker face. He grabbed me and pulled me into him, and we shared furious kisses that smeared his makeup all over and inside of my mouth and his, spreading it with our fingers as we grabbed each other and pulled at each other and undressed each other.

All that was left were our boxers and Randy's Joker wig as he pulled me into bed with him, but I felt a sharp pain from my injury and I pulled away from him quickly. Randy looked at me with a solemn expression, saying thickly, "Let me see it."

I was reluctant to reveal myself to him. I knew my injury was probably much worse than before, and I didn't know how he would react. He sat up and tugged the rim of my boxers, then he looked up at me to ask me wordlessly if it was alright to go on.

I nodded, and he slowly pulled my boxers down, letting them go past my knees so they fell to the floor. I stepped out of them and turned around, asking in a joking tone, "How do I look?" 

Randy was silent. I looked over my shoulder at him, asking, "Randy?"

He was staring at my backside with his jaw clenched. His eyes were red with fury.

 _No. His eyes were red with tears._

I became worried, rushing to the bathroom to see the damage for myself. I turned into the mirror, and what I saw made me cry out in shock.

From the base of my spine to just above my knees, my entire backside was covered with black blotches from multiple bruises. It almost looked like it was painted on, but when I touched it, the pain reminded me that the injury was real.

I saw Randy storm past me and I rushed back out just as he reached the door. I shouted, "Where are you going?"

"This ends now. Wade ends now," Randy stated.

"No, you're not going back out there!" I argued.

Randy turned to face me, asking angrily, "Why the hell not?"

"Because I want you now," I said.

Randy's eyes studied my naked body for several seconds while he considered what I said. He sighed and let go of the door, telling me with his usual dry humor, "What you just said is total cheese-fest, Cena."

I smiled, answering, "It worked on you, didn't it?"

He shoved me back into bed, but he was careful not to inspire my pain as he climbed in on top of me and used smooth kisses to tingle my skin. He became more aggressive when his lips came back to my mouth, groaning with pleasure as he reached down and massaged my balls between his fingers.

The effect of his touch was rapidly stimulating me, but he suddenly let go of me completely and looked away with a shameful expression. I asked, "What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

He closed his eyes, drifting to that faraway place again. He came back within seconds, telling me, "It's too selfish. I don't want to say it out loud." 

"Tell me," I demanded.

Randy locked eyes with me and said somberly, "I want to fuck you so badly right now."

He looked away again, as if he should be punished for what he said. I told him honestly, "I would be asking you to if I wasn't in so much pain right now."

Sighing with understanding, Randy said thickly, "There's nothing like being _in_ you, John."

I lifted a brow in surprise, asking jokingly, "Was that a cheese-fest line, Mr. Orton?"

He retorted dryly, "No, that was an all-I-think-about-is-sex-with-you-in-any-position-at-any-given-time line, Mr. Cena."

I laughed out loud, then I said, "Alright, if we can't do it, then we'll talk about something else."

"What?" Orton asked, giving me a funny look.

"Tell me what you would do to Wade if you could do anything," I said.

Randy smiled deviously and answered, "I think I would kick him in the face so many times, his features would look like mashed potatoes."

I busted out laughing, and Randy had to roll off of me to keep me from hurting myself underneath him. I told him when I caught my breath again, "That's ridiculous!"

"What? I'm from Misery, and they do shit like that all the time down there," Randy jokingly referenced his Southern home state of Missouri.

"You know what I would like to see? I would like to see you RKO Wade down a flight of stairs, without hurting yourself. I don't think that's possible, though," I said.

Randy closed his eyes to imagine it, then he opened them again and said, "I could plan it out so it would work."

"Oh really?" I asked incredulously.

"No problem," Randy answered, and I busted into a fit of laughter again, making him laugh as well.


	12. Chapter 12

12:

I was walking down to the arena. There were thousands of fans surrounding me, but I couldn't really make them out. It was like when The Undertaker came out to the ring: the lights were dim, the fans were reverent, and the world was watching me make my way along.

There was a wrestler already in the ring waiting for me. As I came closer, I realized that it was Randy, and he was leaning forward with a big smile on his face. I smiled back and made a run for it, thinking I could do a baseball slide into the ring.

I was almost to the ring when something caught my eye. It was sticking out from underneath the ring apron, and I slowed my run to get a better look. It was still too hard to see with the dim lighting, so I assumed it was nothing significant and I leaned forward to slide under the ropes.

It reached out from under the ring apron and grabbed my ankle before I could get into the ring. It started to pull me out, so I tried to grab the ropes for support, but when I reached for them, I realized that they had disappeared.

The fans started booing so loudly, my eardrums throbbed. I looked at Randy desperately, reaching out to him to help me. He rushed down and reached for my hand, but it was too late.

Whatever had a hold of me was too strong. I fell backward onto the mat outside of the ring. I looked up at Randy one more time before I was pulled under the ring. He had this empty look on his face, like he knew that I was gone and there was nothing he could do about it.

"John? John, wake up," Randy shook me roughly.

"Huh?" I struggled to open my eyes, feeling like I had been hit by a truck.

"We've got to get you back. The Nexus is supposed to find you so they don't think you had anything to do with last night, remember?" Randy informed me.

I started to sit up, and my injury sent out violent shocks, fully awakening me. I groaned painfully, so Randy leaned in to help me to my feet, asking, "What can I do?"

"You got any massive pain killers?" I joked.

Randy turned his head to one side as if to analyze me for a moment, then he said, "I have something that might work."

"Is it legal?" I asked with a wry smile.

Randy scoffed and answered dryly, "Of course it is...in about four of The States and Eastern China."

 _If it can kill this pain, I don't care what it is._

 _:-:_

Randy drove me to the next arena we were scheduled to be in. It wasn't very far from last night's arena, and it was a few blocks from where The Nexus got jumped, so it wasn't considered strange when Wade found me passed out in the arena locker room half an hour later, looking like I had been beaten and left there after the brawl the night before.

 _What he didn't know was that my "beating" was just leftover Nexus damage, and my "passed out" state was just an acting technique I picked up from an extra while filming 12 Rounds._

I was taken to the hospital, where the doctor examined what he described to be, "Horrific damage done by a brutal group of people," and I was not only given a prescription to help with the pain, but the doctor made a point of telling Wade that my beating was the worst of all the Nexus members.

"The people who did this should be in prison for such an atrocity! You said there were at least twenty of them, Mr. Barrett?" the doctor inquired.

I lifted a brow at Wade. He cleared his throat and answered, "Tha's right. At leas' twenty."

The doctor looked at me and I nodded in agreement.

 _I wasn't about to piss off Wade when he was actually being nice to me._

As the doctor left, Wade patted me on the back and said in a quiet tone, "I wan' you to know tha' I'm proud of you, Cena. You came to my aide las' night. I could 'ave had the kick of ten bells ou' of me."

 _I assumed that meant he was glad not to have his ass beat._

Shaking my head, I replied solemnly, "I wish I could have done more. I mean, I couldn't identify the guys who did this. It may not have been guys. It may have been Beth Phoenix-type brawny chicks for all I know."

 _I may have gone too far with this play._

Wade chuckled and replied, "It's no matter. You came when I called an' defended me honorably."

He beamed at me, and it was so creepy, I had to look away.

 _I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit._

 _:-:_

I rode with Wade and The Nexus back to the arena. The guys had mostly minor injuries, which was saddening to hear, but fortunately they were completely distraught by what had happened to them.

"How could the driver not know who relieved him last night? I think it's a setup," Otunga vented while nursing the back of his neck.

"You think everything's a setup!" McGillicutty argued, and the others laughed.

Otunga narrowed his eyes at McGillicutty and seethed, "I do not!"

"You lost your gym socks last week and you said that was a setup," Harris pointed out.

"That phone booth rang in Manchester and when you answered it and no one replied, you said that was a setup," Slater added.

"And then there was that thing yesterday-" McGillicutty started.

Otunga cut him off, yelling, "Enough! You made your damn point! What do you think it was then, huh? A coincidence?"

The Nexus glanced at each other, but no one came forward with an answer.

Slater suggested after a long silence, "Maybe it was some of the other wrestlers. I mean, they hate us in the locker room right now."

"Yeah, but Cena got the worst of it! How did that happen?" Otunga debated.

Again, the guys were speechless. I was almost in awe of the situation, watching it seamlessly play out before me. Then Gabriel broke the silence with, "Some of Cena's injuries were from us. There's no way to know how badly he was really hurt."

The Nexus all turned to face me. I tried to hide the awkwardness with an apathetic shrug. Gabriel added grudgingly, "I swear one of the guys was Mark Henry. He was big."

 _Shut the fuck up, Gabriel. Just shut the fuck up._

I braced myself, thinking the guys were going to start putting the pieces together, but Otunga replied to Gabriel angrily, "I told you it wasn't Mark Henry! I saw him leave with Eve and The Bella Twins to watch a local game an hour before we left! There's no way he'd ditch all that fine ass to beat on us!"

All of the guys except Gabriel nodded in agreement. Even Wade seemed convinced that it wasn't Henry. I breathed a short sigh of relief and waited for a subject change. Wade leaned forward suddenly and said something I didn't expect, "All I know is: someone is goin' to pay for wha' happened las' night, an' I've got the scunt in the trunk righ' now."

 _Fuckity McShitfuck._

"You've got someone locked in the trunk right now?" Slater said almost excitedly.

"He's shitted on all of us an' he deserves wha' he's abou' to ge'," Wade yelled.

He looked at me, but I kept my mouth shut and my expression devoid, pretending like the revelation didn't affect me much. Wade knocked on the window and stopped the driver, and Nexus got out as Wade slipped the driver a wad of bills and said, "Whatever happens, you didn' see a thing."

The driver took the cash and nodded. Wade motioned for me to get out, so I did, slowly making my way around to the trunk. Nexus moved in closed as Wade let the lid of the trunk pop open and we all gazed upon the traitor at once.

 _It was Punk. Oh God, it was Punk._

His hands were cuffed behind his back, and he had an old gas mask over his head. He looked like he was struggling to breathe through it as McGillicutty and Harris pulled him out of the trunk and positioned Punk on his knees facing Wade. Slater was overcome with desperation for the first time since I had known him, asking Wade, "What are you doing? Punk is my friend!"

Wade argued violently, "He has been watching our every move an' tellin' it to Vince McMahon himself!"

I was completely shocked. I had no clue that Punk had been spying for McMahon. Slater was in shock as well, shaking his head as he said, "No, no, it's not true."

Wade pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and tossed it to Slater, saying, "You'll find all the truth you need right here."

Slater started checking the phone while Wade leaned down to Punk's level, saying mockingly, "Is it hard to breathe in there, Punk? I designed it tha' way. You won't suffocate so much as you'll jus' feel light headed, an' maybe pass out a' some point."

I swallowed to keep down the churning in my stomach. I could barely see Punk's face through the mask, but the fear was registering in his strained breaths. Slater must've seen enough evidence from the cell phone, because he suddenly launched at Punk, shouting, "You bastard! You fucking shitface, you were my friend!"

McGillicutty and Harris grabbed Slater and held him back. Wade took hold of Punk's gas mask and pulled it off, and Punk gasped furiously for air. He looked at me and said pleadingly, "John, don't let them do this to me."

Wade took control, stating in a calm but deliberate tone, "Someone in my gang is a liar, Punk, an' I know tha' you know who it is. You don' have to say a word, jus' point tha' li'le head of yours in the right direction, an' confirm my suspicions."

The Nexus stood stone still. My heart started pounding and adrenaline rushed through my veins. I knew that Punk was going to point his head at me.

Surprisingly, he didn't point at anybody, but said exhaustively, "I don't know. I don't know. That's the honest truth."

Wade stood up straight and put his fists on his hips, replying simply, "You point a' the culprit, an' you walk away from here unharmed. You refuse, an' we'll see wha' Slater wants to do with you."

"I don't know! I swear, I don't know!" Punk shouted.

 _I can't take this anymore._

"It's me! I'm the liar!" I stepped forward.

Everyone looked at me and I explained the partial truth, "I hired some thugs off the street to beat you guys down last night to get back at you for beating me."

I waited for The Nexus to jump me, but none of them moved. Wade smiled wryly and stated, "Did you think I didn't know tha', Cena?"

I stared at him, astonished. He came up close to me and leaned into my face as he added, "I know everything you do, John, in every detail. You should inform Randy of tha' truth as well."

Wade puckered his lips to mock an air kiss before he turned back to Punk. I realized at that moment that the mock air kiss was meant to be a hit against my relationship with Randy.

 _Was he indicating that he knew the details about that as well?_

Wade sighed at Punk and said, "Although Cena love to martyr 'imself, he's oddly no' the shitter this time, so tell me who the real liar is."

The Nexus glanced at each other suspiciously. Punk shook his head and replied, "I really don't know. If I did, I would tell you."

"Well, then. Mask goes back on," Wade said, reaching for Punk's head.

Punk pulled away from him and tried to move away, shouting, "No, I won't put that thing on again! I can't breathe in it!"

Wade signaled for Otunga and Gabriel, who held Punk by his shoulders so that Wade could get the mask back on. Punk kept pleading with Nexus, "No! No, you can't do this to me! I won't say anything, just don't put the mask back on! Don't put it back on!"

He let out on last, painful cry before the mask silenced him.

 _I had never heard someone scream like that before._

 _:-:_

That night, Wade and I rode alone in the limo back to the hotel. I was not allowed to see what The Nexus did with Punk, but I was told he would still be conscious. Wade sat across from me, pondering my face for signs of an expression he could criticize, but I gave him none. He finally asked me quietly, "You hate me, don't you, John?" 

_I did hate him, but I didn't want him to know that._

"I don't hate you. I just don't understand how you can be so...cruel."

Wade scoffed, asking blatantly, "Is tha' what you think this is? Cruelty?"

I locked eyes with him and explained, "You don't just use harsh words and take the mic for long speeches and rant and rave about somebody for a while. You take your frustrations out for real. You don't wrestle people. You _demolish_ people."

Wade smiled like I had given him a compliment, then he grew serious, asking, "Do you want me to say tha' my father was violent an' a drunk? Do you want me to say my mum didn't tell me she loved me as a child? Do you want me to say I grew up hard an' never learned to care?"

I shrugged. Wade leaned in and stated, "My leadership is not designed from some lost, boring child's play. I am the alpha, an' I want everyone to know tha', no matter wha' it takes."

He sat back as if he had proved his point well enough. I suddenly asked him, "What if I don't give you the title at Survivor Series."

Wade squinted one eye at me, asking, "Wha'?"

"What if I let Randy keep it. What if I let myself get fired and you get nothing," I said simply.

A short laugh escaped Wade's lips, then he told me, "You still think your actions matter, Cena. Wha' you don't understand is tha' nothing you do matters. I will get the title, even if it means getting you fired. Even if I 'ave to put Randy on the injure' list. No one is ou' of bounds."

I knew that what Wade said was the complete truth. He would hurt anyone, fire anyone, and mow down anyone it took to get to the Championship.

 _As far as he's concerned, he already sees his name on that title._

 _:-:_

"Come in," Randy said when I knocked on his hotel room door.

I locked the door behind me, and Randy got up to greet me. I started kissing him as soon as he got close, and although he was shocked at first, he quickly welcomed my lips against his own. Randy was usually the possessive one, but I took control this time, grabbing his belt and tugging him closer to me so that I could open his pants.

He pulled away from me and looked down, asking jokingly, "What do you think you're doing down there?"

"Fuck me," I said.

Randy locked eyes with me, stating, "You're still hurt."

"I said fuck me," I repeated more strongly.

"John," Randy started to argue again.

Hot tears formed in my eyes as I told him again, "I want you to fuck me, Randy. Do it, or goddammit, I will explode!"

"Alright, alright," Randy relented, seeing the pain in my ocean colored eyes.

He let me slowly take his clothes off, trying to kiss me from time to time, but I kept pulling away from him to finish what I was doing, and he half-smiled like he enjoyed my tease. He took his belt before I could drop it to the floor, and when it was my turn, Randy smiled at me deviously as he pulled my clothes off more roughly, then he wrapped the belt around my wrists and tightened it just enough so that I couldn't easily break free, getting me back with a tease of his own.

Randy let me to bed. I positioned myself on my stomach and he came up behind me. He seemed to slip in more easily this time, but the pain from my injury was more intense, and I couldn't help letting out a slight moan.

"John?" Randy asked quietly.

"Keep going," I ordered him.

Randy started off slow, then built up like last time, but he was intentionally using less force than I knew he wanted to. The pain seemed to be synonymous with the pleasure, until I couldn't tell the difference between the two anymore. Randy started groaning with each thrust, and I closed my eyes, saying aloud, "Randy."

He pressed his lips to my ear and breathed, "Say it again, John. Say you want me to fuck you."

"I want you to fuck me," I said, and he growled into my ear.

"What do you want, John?" he asked.

"I want you," I answered.

"Where do you want me, John?" he asked.

"Wherever you can put it," I groaned.

Randy took in a sharp breath, and I knew he was climaxing. He asked me one more question, "Who owns you, John?"

"You do," I said just as Randy released.

He stayed above me as he finished, saying smoothly, "Roll over. I want to do something for you."

I did as he said and turned over to face him. Randy kissed my lips a few times, then he started kissing my throat, down to my chest, down to my abs. I closed my eyes, feeling him kiss down, and down, and down...

Then I felt his mouth surround my erection, and I forgot all about my pain.


	13. Chapter 13

13:

I opened my eyes the next morning and felt Randy lying underneath me, his chest rising and falling slowly while he slept. I glanced at the clock because Randy hated the alarm and almost never set it, and I knew we would be late from the time it beamed back at me, but I didn't want to wake Randy and have this moment torn away from me like all the others.

I reached out and ran my fingers along Randy's left shoulder, tracing the edges of his tattoos. I remembered that he was in a lot of pain after he got them. He always said that getting the tattoo was easy, but the 2 week healing process of peeling skin, a constant sunburn sensation and eventual scar tissue over the ink was like no other pain.

 _I wonder if he would still say that after meeting someone like Wade._

He must have woken up from my touch, because Randy mumbled at me jokingly, "Stop it, you're making me horny."

I stopped tracing his tattoos, but I shot back, "Well in that case, want a quickie before we get going?"

Randy opened one eye and focused on me with a mischievous smile. Then he told me thickly, "Come here."

I leaned into him and he grabbed the back of my head, pulling me into a forceful kiss. He pulled away suddenly and his face went sour as he said, "Cena, your breath is toxic."

"Sorry," I mumbled, rolling over and covering my mouth with my hand.

"Hey, I didn't say stop," Randy argued, rolling over on top of me to sneak more kisses.

Randy kissed me slowly; deliberately. He reached for the back of my neck again, and ran his fingertips across my hairline, then he traced down my jawline to my throat. He took my neck in a strong but not threatening hold to slightly constrict my airway as he let go of my lips and asked me quietly, "Does this bother you?"

I shook my head, whispering, "No."

"What if I held a little tighter?" he asked, constricting his Viper's grip on my throat.

It was still not enough to be threatening, but the constriction was actually kind of stimulating. Randy teased me by hovering his lips above my own as he asked, "Does this turn you on?"

"Yeah," I said, and he finally relented to kiss me some more.

We made out for several minutes in silence, then Randy pulled away and said dryly, "Come join me in the shower. I have some pent up sexual frustration that I need to take out on you."

I laughed and he glanced at the clock. Randy saw the time and panicked, shouting, "Shit, we gotta get going."

He started to get out of bed, but I grabbed onto him and pulled him back in, saying, "Please, don't get up. Not yet."

"What? We're going to be late, John," Randy countered.

He tried to leave again but I held him back. He breathed a frustrated sigh and asked, "Why won't you let me get up?" 

I confessed solemnly, "When you get out of bed, it means that we'll have to get dressed and get ready and separate for the day. It means I'll have to find Wade and listen to his dumbass orders and do them exactly the way he wants me to. It means I'll have to wonder all day what The Nexus is going to do to me next. It means I'll have to put you in the back of my mind and not think about you at all because if Wade saw any glimmer of hope in my eyes, he would know it was from you and he would get rid of you so fast, and I can't let him take you. I won't let him take you."

Randy gave me a sympathetic look and leaned in to kiss me more deeply. When he pulled away, he pressed his forehead against mine, closing his eyes as he said half-jokingly, "Cena, why is it that you can make these moments into such chick flicks, and yet I'm still somehow totally and completely in love with you?"

He pulled away to open his blue-green eyes and look at me. I mocked a girly tone as I said, "It's my eyes! No one can resist them!"

Then I blinked furiously to prove the joke. Randy laughed out loud, then he grew more serious and stated, "I'll tell you what. You do what you need to, and sometime during the day, I'll sneak you away and we can have a moment to ourselves."

"No, Randy, I don't want you to risk getting caught with me," I said worriedly.

He replied with a half-smile, "It's a risk I'm willing to take. Anytime, anywhere."

He kissed me one more passionate time, then he asked with his dry-humor tone, "Now, do you want to join me in the shower, or do I have to dry hump you on this bed to get some action?"

I pretended like I had to think about it, so Randy suddenly grabbed me in a bear hug and started humping me like the neighbor's dog. I tried to get away from him, shouting, "Ugh! Randy, stop it!"

He just humped faster, which put me in a fit of laughter. My eyes started watering and my side hurt from Randy's persistent pelvic thrusting. I managed to shout, "Stop...stop, already!"

Randy took on a mock girly tone and let out an exaggerated moan of pleasure, then he told me in the same tone, "Oh, John, you're sooooo hot! Have you been working out?"

 _Now I was never going to stop laughing._

:-:

"Cena! Cena, are you even listening? Cena! No' like tha'! Cena! Cena! Cena!" Wade kept screaming at me.

"What?" I shouted with frustration, stopping what I was doing to focus on Wade.

We were outside, enjoying the nice weather before the RAW fans came to enjoy the show that night. It was going to be the likeness of the old wrestling theme, and most of the original wrestlers from past decades were attending the event, so McMahon had organized a picnic to let everyone enjoy themselves and grab a bite to eat before we all had to go back inside and get ready for the show. Instead of joining the fun, however, Wade had decided that Rowdy Roddy Piper and I had to rehearse for the show.

 _He also seemed to be getting a kick out of nagging me in front of Piper._

"I want you to start listenin' to me!" Wade argued, stepping close.

"I am listening, but I don't know what you want me to do!" I shot back, feeling surprisingly defiant today.

Wade opened his mouth to counter me, but Piper stepped between us and tried to back us away from each other, saying calmly, "There's no need ta fight when there's no ring around, boys. This is rehearsal, an' we're here to work out strategy before the fight."

Piper turned to face me and explained, "Cena, I think Barrett's idea is that you come out to my Pit, we argue about Survivor Series, I want you to do the right thing, you say you'll be fair, Barrett comes out an' argues, Randy comes out an' argues, Randy roughs up Barrett, you stop Randy from deliverin' the RKO, Randy gives you an RKO, you turn around an' AA both Randy an' Barrett, an' I hightail it outta the ring, then you leave defiant an' strong."

I nodded. It sounded a lot better when Piper explained it. Wade scoffed and stated, "So are we clear?"

"Crystal," I smiled mockingly.

"Aye, let's see what damage we can do now, eh?" Piper clapped his hand over his fist in excitement.

Wade stepped forward and interjected, "Wait, wait, wait, I have another idea. What if Cena gives you an AA too, Piper? Jus' to make people wonder wha' he'll do next?"

I shook my head and stated, "No. I won't do that. Not in a million years. Not to a legend."

Piper looked at me like he hadn't heard a compliment like that in a while. Wade started to argue with me again, "Cena, I am the one who orders you, an' I say-"

"No! I will not risk the safety of another wrestler for you!" I interrupted.

Wade started for me, and Piper reached out to stop us from colliding again. Then Bob Orton appeared from out of nowhere and asked, "What's goin' on here, boys?" 

Piper breathed a sigh of relief. I glanced at Wade, and he smiled at me wickedly.

 _He was sure to take advantage of Randy's father for as long as he was here._

Wade straightened up and replied politely, "There's nothin' to be concerned abou', Mr. Orton. We were just havin' a spat between boys."

Bob smiled knowingly and said, "Save your energy for the ring, boys. It's a 3-hour special, you'll have plenty of time to diffuse yourselves!"

Then he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged me close, asking, "I haven't seen you in years, Johnny! How are you? How's your father?" 

The mention of my dad struck something deep inside. I choked up a little as I said, "I haven't...I haven't been able to talk to him in a while, so I'm not sure."

Piper and Bob exchanged glances and Bob told me sympathetically, "Sometimes it's hard to keep up with family in this business. That's why you just gotta make the time."

I nodded, then Wade got Bob's attention by asking, "Where might your son be, Mr. Orton?"

Bob glanced around quickly as he answered, "Oh, I haven't seen him. He's probably trying to avoid me, you know, being his old man and all."

He leaned into me and whispered jokingly, "I cramp his style."

I chuckled, and Wade narrowed his eyes at me, then he asked deliberately, "Weren't you with Randy last, John?"

Shrugging, I answered, "I haven't seen him."

Wade put his fists on his hips and replied like he didn't know what he was implying, "Well, where did he run off to when you left his hotel room this morning?"

 _Wade's accent was always perfectly fucking clear when he was trying to cause trouble._

Piper gave me a confused look, and I turned my attention to Bob, waiting for his reaction. He was thoughtful for a second, then he looked at me and said, "Oh, you had to go get him up, didn't you? He hates those alarms and he almost never sets them. He's rather be late every damn day of his life than hear those damned alarm clocks!"

I breathed a quick sigh of relief. Wade scoffed and looked away, fuming from his defeat. Bob glanced around again and pointed ahead of us, saying, "Speak of the devil!"

I looked up and saw Randy coming toward us. He was flanked by Teddy DiBiase and his father, the Million Dollar Man, as well as Cody and Dusty Rhodes. Teddy and his father were arguing, and when they came closer, I could hear Teddy saying frustratingly, "Dad, it's a beard and I want to grow it!"

Ted Senior objected, saying, "Son, when you grow a beard, it has to be thick and vibrant! You want to demand attention from the ladies, not make them laugh from your peach fuzz!"

"Dad, it takes a while to grow out, okay? It'll be fine!" Teddy argued.

"Not if it doesn't look manly," Teddy Senior mentioned.

"You know what? I don't need your help! I'm fine," Teddy shouted.

"Oh yeah? Where's my Million Dollar Belt?" Teddy Senior asked with a lifted brow.

Meanwhile, Dusty handed Cody a bottle of cologne and said, "This will surely get you dashin' up for the ladies!"

Cody beamed, shouting, "High Karate! Ohmygodnoway! They don't make this anymore! This rocks the shit!"

Everyone went quiet when Randy came up to us and asked, "What's all this?"

Bob explained with a smile, "Wade was just telling me that Cena was in your hotel room this morning. You didn't set the alarm again, did you, son?"

Randy shot Wade a deadly look, then collected himself quickly and shrugged, replying simply, "You know I hate waking up to alarms, Dad."

Teddy Senior brought up his argument again, saying to his son, "You know, Teddy, that light beard of yours is going to deter all the ladies." 

Rolling his eyes, Teddy answered, "Dad, I told you, I have a lady!"

"What? That Maryse? She puts her hand in people's faces all the time! It's completely rude! Besides, I never know what she's saying half the time with all that French she babbles. You should have gone with The Bella Twins. That way, if one was pissed at you, you could just swoon the other one!"

"DAD, PLEASE!" Teddy yelled.

Piper put his hands up and shouted, "Alright, alright! Let's just go on a walkabout by ourselves for a while, an' we'll come back an' start again real soon!"

Teddy took off like a shot. I did the same, not wanting to wait around for Wade to give me another order. I walked around to the other side of the arena, where the parking lot came around to a trap door that led down to the basement. I was going to walk past it, but I heard Randy's voice say from behind me, "John."

I turned around to face him. He smiled and took me by the wrist, opening the trap door and leading me down to the basement. We didn't go far before Randy pinned me up against the wall and started kissing me furiously.

He moved his hands underneath my shirt and touched me randomly, gripping odd places before moving on like he was trying to decide where he wanted to stop. It was intriguing and stimulating, and I was having trouble concentrating on his kisses with his hands moving all around me.

We parted for a moment and he asked, "Are you excited about tonight?"

"You mean getting an RKO? Not so much," I joked.

Randy lifted an inquiring brow, asking, "Why not? You don't want us to finish each other in the ring, in front of everyone?" 

I chuckled at the innuendo, but answered seriously, "I just hate that feeling of falling with your RKO. After I broke my neck fighting Batista, I just feel even worse about it. I mean, I know you're protecting my neck as I fall, but it's like, that's the only part of me that's absorbing the shock, and if I were to land wrong or my head was just a fraction off when I came down..."

Randy leaned in closely to me and kissed the surgical scar on my neck. The scar radiated and my eyes fluttered a little from the pleasurable sensation that I felt. Randy came back to meet my eyes and said strongly, "I would never put you in harm's way, inside or outside of the ring." 

I closed my eyes and responded quietly, "I know that."

Randy reached down and unzipped my jeans. I started to argue with him, "Randy, don't. If someone comes this way and hears us-"

He put his free hand over my mouth while reaching into my pants with his other hand as he started to rub me out. He started off slowly, then he suddenly started rubbing really fast, creating so much friction that the pleasure was making my eyes roll into the back of my head. Randy took his hand away from my mouth and held onto me as he rubbed even faster, urging me to come before the short time we had alone together was up.

"Oh, fuck...oh, fuck..." I groaned.

Randy pressed his lips to my ear and whispered, "Let it out, Cena. I want to see you release."

"Oh, fuck, Randy..." I could feel myself peaking quickly.

Then I heard Bob from nearby shouting, "Randy? Johnny? Where are you two?"

"FUCK!" I yelled out of panic, feeling an intense climax at the exact same time.

Randy took hold of the tip as I came into his palm. He took his hand out and shook the mess off, then he used his other hand to quickly zip up my pants. I was still stunned as Randy grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back up from the basement. Bob and Wade were just coming to get us as Bob shouted happily, "Ho, there!"

Wade focused on me, instantly knowing that something was up. He seemed disappointed that he hadn't caught us in a more deviant looking situation, and I began to wonder if Bob and Wade had not happened this way by accident.

"Let's go inside, Dad," Randy motioned for his father to walk with him.

"We've go' work to do as well, Cena," Wade stated.

I followed him without another word.

 _I was so damn blissful, I didn't even think I could speak anyway._

:-:

RAW aired live that night, and everything went as planned.

When I stepped between Wade and Randy, and Randy looked up at me for a moment before giving me the RKO, he expression was more intense than usual, but the crowd didn't seem to notice, thinking that his intensity was because of the fight in him. He held onto my neck more carefully for the RKO, something he never did before, and I wished I could have stopped everything just to thank him for that.

I made my way backstage alone, then I waited around for Randy. I heard someone behind me say, "Could we talk, Johnny?" 

I turned around and saw Bob standing there. I nodded and he put his arm around me again, leading me to a more secluded area of the arena before he said, "Now, Johnny, I want to ask you something very important, and I need you to be honest with me, no matter what."

 _Please don't ask about my servitude to Wade._

Nodding, I braced myself for his question. Bob stopped and turned to face me, asking, "Are you in love with my son?"

 _What?!_

I felt like a deer in the headlights right before impact. Bob stood there, waiting for me to answer. I could have told him any series of lies, stories and other creative ideas that whizzed through my head at that moment, but all that came out was the truth.

"Yes," I confessed.

Bob sighed and looked away. He didn't seem to be upset so much as thoughtful. I asked, "Are you angry?" 

With a slight frown, Bob explained, "Well, most fathers would probably be angry in this situation, but Randy's been crushing on you for so long, I'm just relieved he finally got it over with."

 _What?! What?!_

My eyes bugged out of my head and I asked, "Are you kidding me?"

Bob shook his head, then he asked me rhetorically, "You think he just woke up one morning and decided he loved you?"

When he said it like that, it did sound pretty far-fetched. Bob told me, "You and Randy came into the business about the same time. He took an instant liking to you. He thought your white thug idea was a bit on the outrageous side, but really unique, and he saw so much potential in you. Both of you rose to the top together, and all these years, he's had nothing but total respect for you, Johnny. He thinks the world of you, trust me."

I couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes as I said, "Thank you for telling me that, sir."

Bob nodded, then he asked, "Who else knows about you two?"

Straightening up, I answered, "I don't think anyone else is sure about it except for Wade."

Clicking his tongue, Bob replied, "That must be why he's been trying to drag me around and leave hints all day, hoping to get me to catch on to you too. Dirty British bastard."

I laughed out loud. Bob chuckled himself and gave me a pat on the back, saying, "You watch over my son, alright? He doesn't listen to me anymore, but maybe you can keep his senses clear. I want him to remember that there are things just as important as this business, and I hope he sees that in you."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you," I waved at him as he walked off.

Feeling upbeat, I turned on my heel and started walking back toward the locker room, hoping to catch up with Randy there. I was just rounding the corner when someone grabbed me and pulled me through an open door, closing it behind us before they pinned me against the wall.

"Randy," I breathed, leaning in to mash my lips against his.

But I felt something scratch my face.

A beard.

I instantly pulled away to face the bearded stranger. I could only see an outline of a hood, and it suddenly dawned on me: the attacker had returned.

He kneed me in the stomach and I was launched forward, then he kneed me in the right cheekbone and I fell backward. My head bounced off the floor and I became dizzy and confused, but the attacker didn't capitalize.

He backed away so I could not see him. I tried to call out, but my voice was barely a whisper, "Help...I..."

I couldn't see my attacker, but I knew he was still there.

 _What was he waiting for?_


	14. Chapter 14

14:

I listened, but I couldn't hear my attacker, and it was too dark to tell if he was still there. In a last ditch effort, I closed my eyes and pretended to pass out, hoping it would entice him to come close again.

I heard someone coming near, then I felt a hand touch my chest. I grabbed it and pulled as hard as I could. The attacker hurtled over me and hit the wall, crumpling to the floor in a heap. I sprang to my feet just as I heard Slater's voice shout from the hallway, "Cena? Cena, where the hell are you?"

My attacker wasn't going anywhere, so I rushed back to the door and ran out into the hallway just as Slater and The Nexus were walking past. They stopped, and Slater opened his mouth to argue with me, but I spoke out first, shouting, "You've got to come help me!"

"What? What's the matter with you, Cena," Slater countered, but I pointed at the door and explained quickly, "I was almost attacked by the same guy who got Randy in the shoulder! I knocked him out and I need you guys to go in there and hang onto him so I can get McMahon!"

The Nexus stared at me like I had gone off the deep end. I heard Wade's voice shout from behind me, "Oi, Cena!"

I whirled around and called to him, "Wade! Wade, come here!"

Wade was making his way toward me, and I noticed that Randy and Bob were right behind him. I felt a rush of relief when I saw the concern on Randy's face.

 _At least somebody would listen to me._

"Johnny, what's the look of panic for?" Bob asked when they came near.

I explained to Wade, Bob and Randy, "I was just attacked by the same hooded guy who got Randy a few weeks ago! I trapped him in this room!"

I turned around and pointed to the door that I came from, realizing at that moment that it had a handwritten label taped on it that said: GIRL'S LOCKER ROOM-RESERVED.

Slater mentioned almost as soon as I realized it, "You trapped a _guy_ in a part of the girl's locker room?"

"Well, I mean, he dragged me in there, and it was dark, so I didn't know...but he's in there! We have to go in there and get him before he wakes up!"

"Wakes up?" Bob asked, but I was already rushing back through the door.

"Hold on, Cena," Wade warned, but I had already gone back into the room and hit the lights.

I pointed before looking as I said, "He's right here, he's right-"

Once I laid eyes on the attacker, I was stunned speechless.

 _It wasn't the attacker lying unconscious on the floor. It was Nikki Bella._

Bob and Wade rushed to help her, while The Nexus gathered off to one side to gawk at my huge mistake. Randy folded his arms and stayed near the doorway, possibly to keep anyone else from coming in. I didn't dare look at him, because I was about to have a complete meltdown.

"Oh my God, Cena! You totally bashed a chick!" Slater retorted loudly.

I shook my head violently, saying determinedly, "No, it wasn't Nikki who attacked me! My attacker was hooded and he was a man because he definitely had a beard!"

Otunga immediately narrowed his eyes with suspicion and asked, "I thought you said it was dark? How did you know the attacker had a beard?" 

I glanced at Randy. He was analyzing me with his eyes, trying to determine what was happening without saying it out loud and rousing The Nexus, and his gaze became more intense once I locked eyes with him.

 _He was just as curious as Otunga to know the answer to the question._

I completely lied, saying, "I reached out to grab him and I felt a beard."

"What if it was just hair? Nikki has long hair," McGillicutty pointed out, further damaging my credibility.

"It was a beard, okay? It was on his face! I don't know why Nikki's on the floor, but the attacker was real and he was after me!" I demanded.

Otunga put out his arms in a sarcastic gesture and replied, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. I think I know what happened here."

With a wry smile, he explained snidely, "Cena and Nikki were probably in here with the lights out doin' the dirty, when things got too rough, and now Cena's crying wolf so we all think it was just an accident."

The Nexus laughed out loud.

Their humor was short lived.

Randy rushed forward and speared Otunga in the stomach, then picked him up and launched him into the opposite wall.

For a moment, everyone was stunned, then The Nexus started for Randy.

Wade shouted from the other side of the room, "Nexus, stop!"

They did as he ordered. Randy started pummeling Otunga with his fists, and Bob rushed past me to stop him, shouting, "Randy, Randy, get off of him, son!"

Bob tried to get his arms around Randy to pull him off of Otunga, but Randy shoved his father aside and continued to pummel Otunga. The Nexus was eager to tackle Randy, but remained where they were since Wade had not told them to move yet. Bob turned to look at me with desperation in his eyes, and I knew what he wanted me to do.

I ran up to Randy and caught him on his left side, shoving him backward in an attempt to get him off of Otunga. Randy was both surprised and infuriated by my attempt to stop him, and purely on instinct, he grabbed me by my jeans and twisted so that I lost my footing, then he shoved me as hard as he could into a dozen stacks of chairs against the far wall.

Colliding with the chairs wasn't so bad, but like a domino effect, they all started tumbling down around me, hitting me in random places as I put my arms up to block them. One chair's metal leg managed to catch me in the back of my neck, right where my scar was. It sent a shock of pain through my upper body, and I cried out just as the last of the chairs hit the ground.

"Johnny? Johnny, are you alright?" Bob frantically tried to get to me.

"Nexus, ge' John out of there!" Wade ordered.

They moved to get through the mess of chairs to help me, although less enthusiastically. I held my neck and looked up at Randy with agitation. He was looking back at me with an expression like he had just done the worst thing in his life. I glanced at Wade as well, but he was just smiling arrogantly.

:-:

I did get to see McMahon, but it wasn't for the reason that I was hoping for.

McMahon reserved an empty meeting room in the arena for Randy, Nikki, Otunga and I to sit and plead our cases to him. I had an ice pack on my neck, Nikki had one on the back of her head where she had hit the wall, and Otunga had one on his stomach where Randy had speared him. Randy didn't need an ice pack, but it was obvious from his expression that he was extremely conflicted.

McMahon centered on me first. I explained what had happened, not including the part where I had mistaken the attacker for Randy and kissed him, and when I finished, McMahon turned to Nikki and asked, "Now, would you like to tell me why you were reaching out to John Cena in a pitch black room?"

Nikki sighed and explained, "I came in through the door on the other side of the locker room. I was just going to get my jacket, and I didn't bother to turn the lights on because I knew exactly where it was. When I reached for it, though, I realized it wasn't there, so I was going over to turn the lights on when I thought I heard someone whisper that they needed help. I stopped and I heard someone breathing, so I reached down to feel where the sound was coming from. I seriously thought it might be one of the girls talking in their sleep, and I didn't want to turn the lights on and scare them awake."

McMahon nodded that he accepted Nikki's story, then he asked, "Did you hear anyone going past you on your way to John? Where there any sounds that someone else was in the room?"

Nikki shook her head, and I felt a drop in the pit of my stomach. She replied simply, "I didn't hear or see a thing."

McMahon nodded once more, then he told me, "John, this doesn't look good. You were in the girl's locker room and you knocked out a Diva. I could suspend you indefinitely."

Randy's eyes widened and he sat up straight, ready to object, but Nikki spoke first, saying, "I don't think that John purposefully hurt me, and I don't want to file any complaints against him. I think this was just a misunderstanding, Mr. McMahon."

I added with a nod to Nikki, "I'm very sorry for hurting you, Nikki. Extremely, completely, utterly sorry. It was a misunderstanding and it will never happen again."

"Thank you, John," Nikki smiled.

McMahon sighed and replied, "Well, if there are no charges being filed, and considering your spotless record, John, I will reconsider suspension and instead place you on probation. Since you are officially Wade's assistant at the moment, I'll talk to him about negotiating the terms of probation and work it out with you as well."

"Understood," I stated.

Then McMahon turned his attention to Randy and asked, "So, why the hell did you rush David into a concrete wall?"

Randy burst out angrily, "He was being disrespectful to Cena and Nikki and I could not stand there and let him insult them like a punk-ass bitch!"

Otunga glared at Randy, but Randy folded his arms and stood his ground.

 _I knew that he had rushed Otunga primarily to defend me._

Nikki became confused, asking, "What did David say about me, Randy?"

Randy looked at her, and his confidence faltered slightly. None of us had realized that Otunga had made his comment while Nikki was still unconscious. McMahon motioned to Randy and asked, "Well, what did David say that deserved a wall crushing spine-buster?"

Sighing heavily, Randy explained hesitantly, "Otunga was saying that Nikki and Cena were...having sex in the locker room in the dark...and they got too rough and that's why Nikki was out and Cena was making up some attacker story."

Nikki stood up and launched her ice pack into Otunga, slamming him right where it counts.

Otunga let out a loud and painful groan and doubled over onto the floor, holding his crotch in addition to his already damaged stomach. Nikki stormed over to him and started kicking his backside, shouting, "You disgusting, stupid, bastard!"

"Ow! Ow! Get her off! Get her off!" Otunga pleaded desperately.

I had to put my hand over my mouth so I didn't bust out laughing. McMahon carefully took Nikki around the waist and pulled her away from Otunga. Nikki pulled out of his grip and walked over to Randy, grabbing either side of his face as she planted a huge, wet kiss right on his lips.

My eyes almost busted out of their sockets. Apparently, seeing a gorgeous Diva giving Randy a thank-you-with-a-little-tongue kiss was a huge turn on for me.

She let go of him and said sweetly, "Thank you for defending me, Randy."

Then Nikki shot Otunga one last look of death before she walked out of the room. McMahon looked down at Otunga with mild interest as he said to us, "I suppose you're all free to go."

I looked at Randy, who looked back at me with a stunned expression. I could see that Nikki had left her mark, in the form of her lipstick smeared all over Randy's lips and chin. I made the motion for him to wipe his mouth, and Randy reached up to try and wipe off the smear, which only made it worse.

 _What a damn night._

:-:

The legends were all boarding a bus to catch their flights home that night. Randy and I said our good-byes to his dad and the other legends, then Randy stayed behind to get his dad settled while I went back to the hotel to check in for the night. I knew that Wade would be wondering where I was, but I took my time wandering around alone before I went to find his room.

As soon as he opened the door to let me in, he asked, "Well?"

I put my arms out and joked, "The results are in: I'm not pregnant!"

Wade didn't laugh.

"I meant is Otunga going to be alrigh'?" Wade stated.

 _Oh. Excuse me. I thought you were wondering about me._

"He'll be fine. He won't be able to jerk off for a few days, but oh well, it'll give his hand a rest, too," I refused to be serious.

Wade sighed with frustration and went back to sorting his suitcase, which was on one of two beds. I glanced at them and asked, "Why did you get double beds?"

"In light of what's happened, I've told Mr. McMahon tha' you would be safer staying the night with me, in my hotel room," Wade said simply.

 _Waddafuck? Playback, please._

"Are you kidding me?" I asked, but Wade made no mention that he was joking in any way.

I shook my head and stated, "No, no, I am not, I repeat, NOT staying here with you!"

Wade turned to me and responded calmly, "You have no choice, Cena. Mr. McMahon has confirmed it's part of your probation until further notice."

"I didn't agree to this! It's not happening!" I shouted.

"It's not yours to agree with, Cena! You are my assistant an' you are under watch, so therefore, I am your watcher until your probation ends at Survivor Series!" Wade countered.

I opened my mouth to argue, but there was a furious knock at the door, followed by pounding as Randy's voice bellowed from the other side, "Wade, you let me the fuck in right now or I'll bust this fucking door down!"

With an apathetic sigh, Wade said, "I was hoping Third Place wouldn't discover your probation terms for a while longer."

He wandered over to the door and waited until Randy stopped pounding on it before Wade said through it, "You'll have to stay calm and restrain yourself, O, or I'll make certain tha' Cena doesn't spend another night with you for a long, long time."

The other side of the door went quiet, and Randy didn't pound on it again. Wade slowly opened the door, and Randy cautiously made his way inside, coming to stand next to me. Wade closed and locked the door, then put his arms out like he was greeting old friends, saying, "Aren't we a happy trio, then?" 

_Fuck you, Fuck-nuggets._

"I want to speak to Cena alone," Randy stated.

With a slight frown, Wade explained firmly, "This is my hotel room, which means I can be anywhere I like in here."

Randy took me by the shoulder and led me to the bathroom. Wade shouted a British profanity at us as Randy slammed the bathroom door and locked it, then he went to the bathtub and turned the shower on to drown out our voices.

Then Randy focused all his intent on me.

He put his hands on either side of my face and focused his eyes with mine, asking intently, "How badly did I hurt you today?" 

I answered honestly, "It wasn't bad. One of the chairs hit my neck and it's a little stiff, but I'm fine, really."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Randy closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine.

The steam coming up from the bathtub was making the moment more heated and intense than it would've been on its own. I leaned in and matched my lips to Randy's, and we held our kiss for over a minute before he let go and opened his eyes to look at me again, saying thickly, "What I did was completely wrong. I wasn't thinking."

I became more concerned about other things, saying, "That's not important right now. What is important is that I was attacked again, and I need to tell you what I didn't tell McMahon."

Randy went into full listening mode, asking, "What happened?" 

"When he pulled me into the room, he pushed me against the wall like you had done earlier that day in the basement, so I thought it was you and I said your name out loud, then I kissed him."

"You what?" Randy's expression was a mix of surprise and anger.

"That's how I knew he had a beard. I don't know what he'll do with what I said, but he's probably decided that something is going on between us since I said your name before I kissed him," I explained.

Randy sighed heavily and said, "Alright, I guess there's nothing we can do about that. Anything else you're not telling me?" 

I took on a suggestive look and Randy's eyes widened with renewed anger. His grip on my face tightened as he seethed at me, "What the hell have you not told me?"

I explained further, "Wade hasn't outright said it, but he's made suggestions that make me think he probably knows who the attacker is. I'd say the attacker might be working for him, or he might be a member of Nexus."

Randy's grip lessened and he remarked, "I thought that might be the case."

"Wade hasn't completely admitted to it, yet, so for now we just have to pretend that we don't know anything until he does," I said.

Randy gave me a hard look, but we were interrupted when Wade banged on the door, calling to us through it, "What are you two doin' in there? I don't wan' little swimmers spread all over the floor!"

Randy let go of me and I turned the shower off just before he opened the door. Wade stood there and eyed us both with a wry smile, as if he were imagining what we had been doing seconds earlier. I swallowed the upwelling of bile in my stomach from the thought of Wade fantasizing about me and said, "I'm going to bed."

"I'm staying here, too," Randy added.

"What?" Wade and I asked Randy at the same time.

Randy stated boldly, "Wade, you'll sleep in one bed, while I stay with John in the other bed. He'll be underneath the covers, I'll sleep on top. No comments, no jokes, just sleep."

Wade frowned and said, "You take all the fun out of the ride, Third Place."

Randy argued with a point of his own, "You could have seen the ride, W. B., but you went and fucked it up for yourself."

Taking on a wicked smile, Wade asked, "Wha' if I put the deal back on the table? You two fuck each other while I watch, an' Cena goes free; title stays yours? I'll even have Nexus capture your attacker an' stop 'im for good."

I countered angrily, "No fucking way, Wade! You already told me none of it matters anyway!"

"Wait, Cena," Randy lifted his hand to stop me.

I looked at him with surprise. Randy focused on Wade and stated, "Cena and I want a day to come up with the terms."

Wade became determined, stating, "You are under _my_ terms."

"Then fuck you and your deal, Wade," Randy said.

Wade took a step closer to Randy and said darkly, "I'll bet your always on top, Orton. I say Cena fucks you."

"No, absolutely not. We are not doing this," I started.

"You free Cena before Survivor Series," Randy negotiated.

Wade turned his head to one side and remarked, "Tha' is going to cost you dearly."

"How much?" Randy asked.

"Randy, stop!" I shouted.

Wade leaned into Randy and stated without emotion, "You say my name right before you come."

"Fuck this! We are not doing this!" I yelled.

"Deal," Randy said, shaking Wade's hand.

I was completely stunned. Randy added before letting go of Wade's hand, "You watch and you say nothing. I don't want your damn mouth running the whole fucking time." 

Wade chuckled and turned to walk back into the room. Randy turned around to face me and said thickly, "Come here."

I was still stunned, but I made my way over to him. He took my head in his hands again and said to me quietly, "We will do this for your freedom. We will do this to stop the attacks on you. We will do this to stop Wade once and for all."

"No, I can't, I won't," I shook my head.

"It's just the two of us in that room. Just the two of us. Imagine you and me. You...fucking...me. Imagine how much I'm going to enjoy it. Just us...Just us..." Randy tried to seduce me.

It wasn't helping. I didn't believe a damn word Wade said, and now he was supposedly going to throw everything he had against me away just to watch me fuck Randy? It sounded so unreasonable, I couldn't even fathom how Randy was actually believing all of this.

 _This is wrong. This is so fucking wrong._


	15. Chapter 15

15:

Randy put his hands on my hips and slowly led me out to the bed. Wade was already leaning back contently in a chair, waiting for us to put on a show for him.

 _That's all he thought this was. A show._

I could barely will myself to move. Randy took control, shoving me onto the bed as he lay down on top of me and started kissing me. I was so nervous, my hands were trembling. Randy seemed to notice and brought both of my hands under his shirt to touch his body, possibly to keep Wade from noticing as well. I kept trying to glance at Wade, but Randy would move his lips so that I had to keep changing angles away from Wade's view. I also noticed that Randy's kisses were passionate but slow and methodical, something that was not characteristic of him.

 _Unless he was doing it because he had a plan going._

I wanted so badly for this to end. I loved being with Randy, but thinking of Wade watching us was like an old man hitting on an underage girl. It was sick, twisted, creepy, and the old man should know better.

Wade suddenly sat forward and stated to Randy, "Are you purposefully wasting time on this, Or'on?"

Randy pulled away from me and gave Wade an acidic look, stating darkly, "No, I just happen to be someone who believes that putting a little effort into it beforehand makes the sex that much better."

Wade narrowed his eyes suspiciously, so Randy added, "Now what did I tell you about closing your mouth?"

I waited for Wade to counter, but he didn't. He shut his mouth like Randy requested.

 _Holy fuck. I thought Wade was in control of this situation, but it's obvious that Randy was the one in complete control._

Randy returned to my lips but lingered above them teasingly as he asked thickly, "What do you want me to take off first, John?"

I felt the usual swelling of arousal from what Randy said, but it was followed by the jilting fear that Wade was just as anxious to see Randy naked as I was.

 _Swelling gone. Ah, hell._

"Um..." I started, glancing at Wade.

Randy quickly moved to block my vision of Wade, pressing his lips to my ear as Randy explored it with his tongue. I couldn't help chuckling from the stimulation he was producing, and I felt a little more at ease as I said, "Alright, your shirt...shirt..."

Randy pulled his tongue back and returned his gaze to mine. He took my hands one at a time and made them travel up his sides, then he waited for me to remove his shirt. I pulled it over his head while he smiled mischievously, then I tossed it aside as Randy lowered himself so his chest was up against my shirt. I put my hands on his sides while he ran his fingertips through my short hair, asking me, "How does my skin feel, John?"

"Warm," I said, beginning to forget that Wade was still there.

"Does the warmth make you feel good?" Randy asked.

"Yes," I sighed, feeling the swell of arousal again.

"I want you to do something for me, John," Randy said.

"Okay," I whispered, stimulated by his fingers massaging my scalp.

"I want you to take off your belt..." Randy began.

"Yeah?" I urged him to continue.

"...and beat my ass with it," Randy finished.

 _Wait...what did he just say?_

I was stunned to silence, but Wade was up like a shot, shouting as he lunged for Randy, "You fucking cum licking arse-hole!"

Randy was up just as fast and he and Wade started struggling, shoving each other all over the room. I got up and went into a defensive mode to break up the fight, but Randy was too fast for me to get a chance to interject.

Without warning, Randy shoved Wade toward me, and I had a split second to come up with something that would stop Wade from colliding with me.

Instinctively, I chose to do the A. A. finisher.

Wade's momentum made it easy for me to pick him up on my shoulders, but instead of pausing like I always did on RAW, I just continued to brace his momentum and flung him onto the floor.

He landed with a rough thud that knocked the wind out of him. Randy took his own belt off and rushed over to Wade, then Randy whipped Wade in the face with his belt as he shouted, "Do you like that, Wade?"

Wade put his hands up to shield himself as Randy whipped him again and again, seething venomously, "How does that feel, huh? How does that fucking feel when you didn't ask for it?"

I had never seen Randy so violently crazed outside of the ring before. I knew that if I didn't stop him, Randy would whip the skin off of Wade's body.

"Randy!" I shouted, but my voice sounded strangled.

He didn't look up at me, but Randy did toss his belt aside. I breathed a sigh of relief, but Randy wasn't finished.

Dropping to his knees, Randy clutched Wade's head in his hands so that Wade was forced to lock eyes with him, then Randy stated boldly, "I know what you've been up to. I know why you had Nexus attack Cena on your debut. I know why you've been telling Nexus to torment Cena, and I know why you've gone to great lengths to attach yourself to Cena."

Randy went on, saying darkly, "I know that you told Slater and Otunga to kidnap Cena and leave him by that house in Manchester. I know that you planned to keep him there for a while, but he had an allergic reaction to the sedatives he was injected with and your plan backfired."

My eyes widened with surprise and anger as Randy continued, "I know that you hired an attacker to stalk John, and you used the same attacker to get to me so that I would go away. I also know that you rigged Cena's cell phone to send nasty messages to Slater, and you planted a listening device on Cena's new cell phone so that you could turn it on and listen to us when Cena and I were together."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I also couldn't believe how guilty Wade looked as Randy continued, "I started connecting the dots when you went crying to McMahon and claimed I raped Cena. You wouldn't have made an accusation like that unless you were absolutely sure that Cena and I had been together. You made the mistake of choosing to make your claim just after our first time. It was too much of a coincidence, but still, I couldn't be sure. Not until I put the deal back on the table tonight, and I saw what you just did."

Randy leaned in closely to Wade and finished with the biggest revelation of all, "I know that you're obsessed with John Cena. You don't want him for love, but you want to possess him. Physically, emotionally, mentally, and especially, sexually. You're a sadist, but John ran away from you instead of submitting to you when you beat him. You know that John allows me to dominate him, and it kills you inside. The difference between us is that I control myself, and I ask before I do anything to John, because I respect him. And now that you know the truth, it doesn't matter if John stays with me or not, because you will never, _ever_ have him."

I stared down at Wade. His eyes were filled with tears. Randy let go of Wade and stood up slowly, at ease after he had finally gotten his revenge. I couldn't help seeing a total difference in Wade as he rolled over and started sobbing quietly. He was no longer a fearsome, diabolical, evil genius, but at that moment, he had been reduced to a sniveling little boy.

Randy reached for his shirt and started to walk out the door, motioning for me to follow him. I had to force myself out of shock to leave. Wade called to me pleadingly as I reached the door, "Don't leave, John!"

I turned back to glare at him as I stated acidly, "Don't say my fucking name! Don't fucking say it ever again!"

Then I walked out the door and I didn't look back.

:-:

Randy and I took his truck and drove to another hotel. We checked in and Randy unloaded our things. We were both silent the whole time. At some point, Randy turned to face me, and as I looked at him, I just fell apart.

He took me into his arms and held me while I sobbed, trying to rid myself of all the pain and suffering I had to endure for the last several months. I don't know how long I cried, but when the tears wouldn't come anymore, I looked up at Randy and pressed my lips against his.

We explored each other with kisses while we removed clothing until we were completely naked and lying in bed together. Randy had pulled a condom out of his jeans and put it on the bedside table, and after we had touched each other and kissed each other and massaged each other for a long time, he took the condom and handed it to me, saying, "I want you to ride me tonight, John."

"I don't know if I'll last long," I said, referring to my injury, which was not bothering me yet but had the potential to ruin Randy's request.

Randy shook his head, saying thickly, "Doesn't matter. I just want to feel you inside of me."

I nodded, and Randy let me slide out from underneath him. I got on my knees and put the condom on while Randy relaxed on his stomach and waited for me. I clutched myself and leaned forward, slowly slipping myself in behind him.

Randy groaned with a mix of pleasure and pain. I let out a groan of my own, finding this sensation to be completely new to me. It was warm, and wet, and defiantly tight around me, which made it hard for me to thrust, but as Randy relaxed and I became more accustomed to the sensation, it became easier to push harder, then faster.

"John," Randy echoed quietly each time I pushed in.

My injury began to throb, but I ignored it. This was much too stimulating to stop now. It felt like our first night together, but more powerful, and I couldn't help feeling release coming on fast.

Randy reached around to hold my backside, squeezing it to let me know that he liked what I was doing. It inspired my injury to spasm, but it only spurred me on, and I cried out from the pain as I started moving more roughly inside of Randy.

He moaned loudly and closed his eyes, letting me claim him. I moved even faster and came just as Randy reached his own climax, then I rolled off of him and collapsed into bed, breathing heavily as the rush of relief washed over me.

Randy looked at me and I looked back at him, then we both laughed. We were silent for a minute, then I became serious and asked, "What do you think Wade's going to do now?"

Randy frowned like he didn't like the serious subject, but remarked boldly, "Oh, I'm counting on him raising hell, and I have plenty of ways to stop him."

I rolled over to face him and asked, "Why didn't you tell me that you knew all about Wade?"

Randy explained quietly, "I only found out about the listening device a few minutes before I came to get you. The other ideas were just a hunch until I heard that Wade was keeping you in his room, and I knew he would try something on you if my hunch was right, so I had to be there. I thought if I got him to think he was in charge, then I threw his game back in his face, it would show me once and for all that what I believed was the truth, but I had to make it look like you were innocent, because he's been watching you for so long, he would've known that something was up."

I nodded with understanding, then I asked, "What did you mean when you said that I didn't ask for Wade to beat me?"

Randy replied thoughtfully, "Some people like to be punished now and then, sometimes for stress relief, sometimes for sexual release, but I think it's completely dishonorable to inflict pain on another person without their expressed permission, and what Wade did was just sick."

I paused before asking, "Do you think about doing something like that to me?"

Randy locked eyes with me and shook his head, stating, "I would never hurt you like that, John."

"No, I don't mean like Wade did it, but like I would ask you to do, like..." I trailed off.

Randy smiled slightly and finished with, "Like in a way that it feels good."

"Yeah, yeah, that's what I mean," I said.

Randy sighed and glanced at the clock, saying, "We've only got two hours to sleep before we have to be up to catch our flight."

"You really want to sleep?" I asked suggestively.

Randy just flashed me a dry half-smile, and I knew he wasn't thinking about getting any damn sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

16:

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome...John Cena!"

I walked out to the podium as my fellow wrestlers stood up and cheered. I took my place and put my hand out to settle them down, then I smiled broadly at my family in the front row before I began, "I would like to thank so many people for this opportunity tonight. I never thought I would really see myself being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. In fact, I never thought I'd see myself doing anything that involved fighting giants and dwarfs!"

The audience laughed, and I continued more seriously, saying, "I just don't have enough time to really thank the people that brought me to where I am today. I suppose I could thank on man in particular: a Mr. Wade Barrett. He put my career on overload after he and The Nexus infiltrated the WWE and changed the industry forever. Sure, it was a tough road, and I wasn't always happy with it, but Wade was the reason that the fans started backing me up every step of the way. Wade made people want to buy tickets to see me. Wade made the fans remember what it was to see main event wrestling again."

I paused for a moment, searching the crowd for Randy. I saw him in the far left corner, watching me with his intense gaze. I spoke more to him than anyone else as I said, "Some of you may know Wade as the man who ended Randy Orton's career at Survivor Series in 2010. It was an unfortunate accident, and I have to admit that Wade has done everything possible to turn the industry around to avoid any future accidents. So far, his plan has worked, and here's hoping that it continues to work for decades to come."

I could see Randy's grip tightening against his wheelchair. He hated that I had to talk about Wade like he was some kind of Saint. I turned my attention back to the crowd and finished with, "Thank you so much for my induction. Here to say a few words on my behalf is our WWE Chairman, Mr. Wade Barrett!"

Motioning to the curtain, I waited for Wade to appear as the crowd stood up and cheered again. A big smile spread across my face, and although it was faked, there was nothing I could do about it.

 _I had to appease my boss._

I opened my eyes and saw the blinding light of the sun through the window of the plane. The dream began to fade as I realized I had been sleeping during our flight to the next city. I smelled something putrid and looked over to see Randy sitting next to me, working a plastic knife in a can of SPAM.

I groaned and asked, "Why are you eating that stuff?"

Randy shrugged as he spread some on a cracker, answering dryly, "I like the taste."

"How? It tastes like cat food!" I retorted.

Randy gave me a stern look as he shoved the SPAM topped cracker into his mouth and crunched it loudly. I gagged dramatically in response, so Randy swallowed and leaned in to whisper, "Maybe I'll just kiss you after and you'll get used to the taste."

I warned him in a quiet tone so no one around us could hear, "You aren't getting anywhere near my mouth with that SPAM breath!"

Randy mocked a frown and sat back, but mentioned passively, "Guess I'll have to kiss you somewhere where you won't mind the smell."

I lifted a curious brow, but he didn't elaborate. I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, and I didn't have time to find out. Otunga suddenly appeared from the aisle and nodded at me. Randy became visibly tense, but Otunga ignored him, telling me, "Hey, Cena, Wade wants to know when you're meeting up with Nexus tonight."

 _Uh...like I have a choice?_

I shrugged and said, "Whenever Wade wants me to."

Otunga squinted like it was painful for him to respond to me. I thought it was strange, but his behavior got even more strange when he replied, "Wade says you make the decision."

For a moment, I was in a state of shock. Then I said the first thing that came to mind, "How about late? I mean, if Wade doesn't want me to do anything right away."

Otunga still seemed off, but shrugged at my response, saying, "Yeah, that'll work. Wade said he wants you to wash his car, but that's it."

I felt like I was still in a dream. I told Otunga, "Okay, I'll see Nexus later, then."

Nodding, Otunga struggled to tell me, "Look, on behalf of Nexus, I want to tell you that we're sorry for treating you badly, Cena."

 _This had to be a dream._

I waited to wake up, but I didn't. Otunga went on, saying, "You're a team member of Nexus, and that means we should treat you like one."

I didn't know what to make of it. I just replied, "Uh...thank...you?"

Otunga gave me another quick nod and took off back to his seat as fast as he could. I looked at Randy with a shocked expression and asked, "Did you just see that?"

He was stone faced, replying darkly, "Yeah, and I don't like it."

I became confused, asking, "What are you thinking about?"

Randy locked eyes with me and stated, "I'm thinking Wade is planning something big, and this is just the start of it."

:-:

I knew that Randy was probably right.

Still, I couldn't help being back with my friends again.

The other wrestlers welcomed me with open arms, laughing and joking with me like I had never left. We spent hours hanging out in the arena before the show, telling stories and throwing around ideas and making fun of ourselves. It was like old times again, and I fell right into the jokes and the fun and the good times, forgetting completely about Wade and Nexus.

Randy stayed against the far wall, watching the goings on with folded arms and a permanently set brooding stare. I tried to be as laid back as possible to get him to join in, but he wouldn't budge. I knew he was upset by Otunga's oddly pleasant demeanor earlier, but Randy seemed to be more put off than usual, and as time passed, he almost seemed to be getting worse.

"Look, Cena! Look!" R-Truth told me.

I focused on him as he rapped, "I'm black and I'm proud and I'm runnin' the streets, throwin' hands down and makin' tricks for treats, when here come my boys and we's out in the town, throwin' it down and shoutin', 'Hey ladies!'"

R-Truth bellowed the last two words of his rhyme, and everyone laughed. I added a second verse to the rhyme just off the top of my head, "I'm white and I'm loud and I'm layin' it down, hopin' everyone will see me out on the town, when it all comes down I'll be runnin' it cool, 'cause I'm the only one thinkin', "Man, I rule!"

R-Truth almost hit the floor laughing. I was getting carried away myself, just throwing lyrics down for good humor.

 _I could get used to this again._

Randy moved out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and saw him leaving the room, so I casually got up and followed him out into the hallway. Randy stopped a short distance away so that no one could overhear us before he asked me boldly, "What are you doing in there, John?"

"I'm just having fun," I said honestly.

Randy paced the hallway, telling me, "I know Wade's planning something, I know it. He wouldn't be so kind after I humiliated him."

I replied seriously, "I know that, and I'm not scared."

Randy stopped pacing and stared at me. I explained, "I'm not gonna wait around all day for Wade to strike. It's too painful. I might as well enjoy what freedom I have while I still have it."

Coming close to me, Randy said thickly, "You don't understand, John. I can't bear seeing the look on your face when Wade turns on you again. It's...devastating."

He looked away, and I could tell he was drifting into that place in his head where I could never go. I replied to ease him back again, "It won't happen because I'm prepared this time. Just let me enjoy this freedom while I have it, and I want you to have fun, too. Okay?"

Randy looked back at me, but I could tell he was still conflicted. He reached for my face as he leaned in to kiss me, but our lips weren't able to touch before our friends started to file out into the hallway to get ready for the show.

Randy reluctantly let go of me, and I gave him one last reassuring look before I rejoined our friends. I waited for Randy to join in, too, but he never did.

When I looked back a few minutes later, I realized that he was gone.

:-:

The show went on without a hitch. It wasn't televised, but the audience was just as pleased to see us as any live show. I didn't see Wade, but Otunga told me that I was scheduled to be in a match against Ted DiBiase, and I was overjoyed to know that I was being given the chance to wrestle again.

After the show, I looked for Wade to get his keys so I could clean out his car. I found him in one of the empty rooms, but his back was turned to me and he didn't greet me when I came in. I asked quietly, "Wade? Are you busy?"

He had his gym bag on the table, and he was sorting it as he asked passively, "Wha' do you want, Cena?"

"Otunga told me you wanted me to clean out your car," I mentioned.

Wade continued to treat me like I was unimportant, saying, "It's no matter. Jus' go back to your hotel an' your precious Or'on."

I wasn't sure what angle Wade was playing. I asked, "Are you sure? Do you need me to do something else? I've got time."

"No. Tha'll be all, Cena," Wade answered.

I turned on my heel to leave, thinking that certainly Wade would stop me at the last second to do something outrageous for him.

 _But he didn't. He didn't say anything at all._

:-:

I went to the hotel where Randy was staying and went up to his room. I noticed the door was slightly open, and when I walked inside, I saw Randy sitting at the side of the bed, facing away from me. I closed the door and asked jokingly, "What are you just sitting around for?" 

Randy didn't laugh. He turned his head to one side and asked me accusingly, "Where were you?"

I was a little put off by his tone, but I replied anyway, "I had to clean out Wade's car, remember? I found him but he decided it was no big deal."

Randy didn't respond, but faced away from me again. I asked him, "You alright?" 

"Why are you always with him?" Randy asked, his tone spiteful.

"You know the answer to that. What's wrong with you?" I came around to face him better.

Randy grabbed me when I came close and pulled me into bed with him. He got on top of me and pinned my arms down, pressing his body against mine with unusually rough force.

"Ow," I breathed, unsure what to make of Randy's sudden ferocity.

He stared me down for a moment before he asked more calmly, "Did Wade do anything to you?" 

"No, I'm fine," I answered.

Randy lessened his force on me, but leaned in and grasped my lips with his own in a passion, almost violent kiss. He continued to make out with me roughly as he tore at my shirt, ripping it off of me like he couldn't wait to see me naked. I pulled away and joked, "I could have pulled it over my head, you know!"

Randy ignored me and continued to kiss me harshly. I didn't mind that he was being more dominant, but he was being unpredictably hard on me, and I was beginning to think that something was wrong.

Randy suddenly bit into my lower lip and pulled it, splitting it open slightly on the inside before he let go and sat up. I grabbed my lip and I tasted blood from it as I shouted, "Randy!"

He smiled wickedly at me, like he didn't really care that he had upset me. Then he told me, "Roll over. I want to fuck you now."

Normally, I would have been completely turned on by that request, but Randy's attitude was making me uncomfortable. I let go of my lip and said, "I don't want to."

"Roll over!" Randy shouted, trying to force me on my stomach.

"No!" I shouted, shoving Randy back.

We struggled, but Randy was not willing to give up. He tried to grab me around the neck, but I kicked him in the leg and shoved him off of the bed. He stumbled to the floor, and he seemed to be having trouble getting back up again. I got up and ran out the door as fast as I could, not stopping until I was a distance from the hotel.

As soon as I stopped, I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and called for an ambulance. I gave the dispatcher the address of the hotel and Randy's room number, then I told her, "I think he's been drugged."

"We'll send someone right away, sir. Please stay on the line," The dispatch woman said.

I didn't stay with her, but I hung up and waited. As soon as the ambulance came, I turned around and walked off.

 _Randy was right. Wade did have a plan. Turns out the plan wasn't to hurt me this time._


	17. Chapter 17

17:

I woke up the next morning but I kept my eyes closed, feeling the warmth of a bed underneath me with no idea as to how I got into it. Flashes of last night flooded my mind, teasing me like a surreal series of events that I couldn't shut off. I tried to think of what happened after the Ambulance took Randy away, but nothing came to mind. I wasn't much of a drinker, but I sincerely wondered if I had gotten wasted after everything that happened last night, which would account for my lack of memory.

I sighed heavily, but I still wouldn't open my eyes. I heard Randy say from nearby, "Get up, John. We're going to be late."

 _Oh, Randy...wait...Randy?!_

My eyes flew open and I was up like a shot. I immediately realized I was in a hotel room, and Randy was standing by the bathroom door, wearing only a pair of jeans while he worked to get his t-shirt off of its hanger. He looked completely calm, collected; normal.

 _What in fuck's sake?_

"RANDY! OHMYGODAREYOUOKAY?" I shrieked.

Randy looked up at me and his eyes narrowed with confusion. He asked dryly, "What's the matter?"

I blurted a rush of sentences at once, shouting, "You were acting weird yesterday and I went to Wade and he was really weird too and I when I came to talk to you you were all spiteful and you shoved me onto the bed and held me down and you bit me and then you tried to rape me and I thought you were drugged..."

Randy tossed his shirt aside and put his hands out to stop me, saying, "Stop, stop. I'm not getting the joke here, Cena."

I stared at him. He was completely unaware of what I was talking about.

 _Like it never happened._

"It's not a joke! You were really messed up and I was so worried about you!" I argued.

Randy was still looking at me incredulously, but he sat down on the side of the bed next to me and asked calmly, "Alright, let's talk about this. Why do you think I tried to rape you?"

"It was...you were drugged..." I tried to explain, but Randy still wasn't catching on.

His expression hardened and he asked thickly, "Is this because of last night?"

His eyes drifted to the floor, like he might be ashamed. It was my turn to be confused as I asked, "What? What are you talking about?"

Putting his hands up again, Randy switched gears, going into listening mode as he asked me, "Alright, let's start with your story. What do you think happened last night?"

I started from the beginning, explaining, "I had a dream on the plane to the next event that Wade was Chairman of the WWE, then when I woke up you were sitting next to me eating SPAM."

Randy frowned slightly, using his dry sense of humor as he mentioned, "That's a little bizarre."

"I know. Wade being Chairman was a nightmare," I said.

He shook his head, saying, "No, I mean it's a little bizarre that I would eat SPAM on a plane. I usually eat it when no one's around 'cause people complain it smells and tastes like cat food."

"That's what I said after I woke up!" I remembered.

Sighing, Randy motioned for me to go on. I explained Otunga's words about Wade letting me off the hook, and Randy stopped me, asking, "Nexus was being nice to you, and you didn't see it as a big red flag?"

I shrugged, so Randy let me continue. I explained the fun I was having being free, as well as Randy's odd behavior and his need to warn me. Randy didn't interrupt again, but I could tell he was thinking deeply when I explained about Wade's passive behavior, and I took my time going through Randy's brutal passion and his need to fuck me whether I wanted to or not. By the time I finished, Randy's jaw was clenched and he was in his faraway place again.

"Are you angry with me?" I asked after over a minute of silence.

Randy came back to me, but his gaze was still distant as he lowered his head and replied quietly, "No."

"Don't you remember any of this?" I asked, my voice sounding desperate.

Randy lifted his eyes again and told me, "The last twenty-four hours were totally different as far as I'm concerned, John."

I didn't know whether to be angry that he didn't believe me, or glad that what I remembered was seemingly just a vivid nightmare. I took a deep breath and asked, "Alright, well, what do you remember?" 

Randy considered for a moment before he said, "Well, for one thing, you went to talk to Wade last night, but I went with you. I didn't know what he would do after I humiliated him."

"I remember the humiliation part," I mentioned, and Randy half-smiled before he went on, saying, "Wade asked you to pack his bags because he had to make an emergency trip back to England."

"What?" I asked aloud.

Randy finished, "Wade is gone, Cena. He let Otunga take over as the leader of Nexus for a few days until Wade comes back for Survivor Series."

"I can't believe this," I mumbled, completely confused.

"If it makes you feel any better, you did hang out with the guys yesterday, but you spent most of your time with me, including last night."

A wide, wicked grin spread across Randy's face, like he was remembering something very appealing. I asked him curiously, "What did we do last night?"

Chuckling, Randy told me teasingly, "Well, you let me try some new things on you..."

He looked at me for a sign of recognition, but I had none. His brow furrowed and he asked, "You really don't know what happened at all, do you?"

"From the look on your face, I'm beginning to wish I did," I joked.

Randy's expression faded and he was drifting away again. I asked, "Well, what was I like yesterday? Was I acting weird?"

Sighing through his nose, Randy explained, "You weren't weird, you were just...zealous."

"Zealous? About what?" I asked.

Randy scoffed like it was uncomfortable to say out loud, but he finally explained, "You barely left my side, John. You kept wanting to sneak off and fool around yesterday. We did a lot of...suggestible things to each other, and then last night you had a whole list of requests for me."

He chuckled again and his face turned red, then he looked at me and his expression became morose as he said, "If I had known that you were out of it, I wouldn't have..."

He trailed off and looked away shamefully again. I asked after a long pause, "Did I um...like what you were doing?"

Randy started to turn red again, mentioning thickly, "Well, in the middle of one of our new experiments, you were singing my entrance theme, but you were changing some of the words to make it sound dirty."

My eyes widened and Randy added, "I have to admit, it was really a turn on."

I asked loudly, "I was singing a dirty version of your entrance theme and you didn't think that was odd?"

Randy became serious again, stating, "Look, it never crossed my mind that something was wrong. In fact..."

He closed his eyes to think through his next sentence before he opened them again and explained more deliberately, "You seemed like you were having a good time yesterday. Wade and Nexus weren't bothering you, and you were upbeat and the life of the party to everyone else, and you were even better with me. The things you were asking me to do...most of it I had never done before with anyone else, and it felt so good...and you kept saying how much you loved me and how much you liked what I was doing, and you looked so...satisfied."

Randy locked eyes with me and finished solemnly, "I thought I was doing what you wanted."

He stared at me for a long time, as if waiting for me to suddenly remember what he was talking about, but nothing came to mind. Randy broke eye contact and got up to leave, saying with some frustration in his voice, "We're late for the photo shoot. We should go."

I stood up as well, feeling the tension in the room thickening significantly. It was obvious that Randy believed what he was telling me, and it was just as obvious to me that he was hurt because I couldn't remember a damn moment of it. I asked him quietly, "Describe what you did to me. I want to know."

"There's no time. We have to leave," Randy stated.

I walked around to block his path to the door, asking with a smile, "What did we do? Was it so bad you can't repeat it?"

Randy started to smile a little, but reached for me to push me aside, replying, "Not now, John. We've got to go."

"Do you think we have time to do it again?" I asked, making Randy stop in his tracks.

I leaned in to kiss him off-guard, and at first, he was surprised, then he pushed me up against the wall and started kissing me more passionately.

I felt a sudden stinging on my lower lip, so I jerked away and said aloud, "Ow."

My fingers touched my lower lip, and I saw blood when I pulled them away. I became shocked and looked at Randy. He looked away sheepishly and said, "I got a little carried away last night. It won't happen again."

"No, it's not that, I just...I remember you biting my lip," I said.

Randy looked back at me and asked hopefully, "Do you remember anything else? Do you remember what was happening when I did it?"

"No. I'm sorry," I said.

Randy sighed with disappointment, but gave me a reassuring look as he replied, "Don't worry about it. We'll figure out what's going on."

:-:

Randy drove like a speed demon to get to the photo shoot. Almost as soon as we walked in the door, Slater stormed over to me and yelled loud enough for the other wrestlers, Divas and photographers to hear, "Where the hell have you been, Cena? Do you even know what a damn watch is?"

Before I could argue, Randy shoved Slater and yelled, "Have some fucking respect for your superiors, Wendy's chick!"

Slater launched into Randy and they started fighting. The photographers and everyone from the RAW and Smackdown roster were watching the scene unfold. I knew the rest of Nexus would be bombarding us any second, so I grabbed onto Slater and pulled him away from Randy, shouting jokingly, "We have no time for this, boys! We need to put on our best face and spit out some photos for the young ladies to squeal over and the young boys to admire...or the older guys to possibly fondle inappropriately, which is sick but a fact of life that we are pleased to ignore... now let's go!"

Most of the bystanders laughed at my joking demeanor and took it as a sign that the problem was resolved. Slater shrugged me off of him and scoffed at Randy before walking off to find Nexus. I glanced at Randy before I turned to follow Slater, and I could see from his acidic expression that he was not happy the fight had ended.

I gave him an apologetic look before I turned away. I knew it wouldn't matter much to him, but I was legitimately sorry.

 _I would have liked to see Randy kill Slater in front of everyone._

:-:

"Move, Cena!" Otunga yelled at me.

"To the left. There you go," the gray haired photographer said as he angled his camera for the shot.

"Move!" Slater shoved me aside so Harris could block me from the camera.

"Let John in a little bit...there you go," the photographer continued giving orders.

Harris reluctantly moved aside to let me in, but my win was short lived. Otunga, Gabriel and McGillicutty all stepped in front of me at once, just before the camera clicked, to keep me out of the photo. The photographer frowned, but pretended that he didn't notice the deliberate shut-out.

 _It was probably the only thing protecting him from a Nexus beat down._

"Alright, let's try another with John in the center," the photographer ordered.

Nexus all turned to glare at me. I quietly took my place, smiling only when the photographer told me to. As soon as the camera clicked, Slater jabbed me in the ribs and Harris stepped on my foot so I would fall back and they could take center again.

 _This photo shoot was quickly becoming a shit-fest._

I was almost ready to walk off, when I heard Cody Rhodes shout from down the hallway, "Coming through, coming through!"

Nexus looked over at the same time I did, and we saw Randy, DiBiase and Rhodes headed our way, with McIntyre, Sheamus and Morrison in tow. Rhodes was holding a high quality camera, and he announced loudly as soon as they came close, "Excuse me! Former members of Legacy and some other non-Legacy inspired dudes passing through!"

Sheamus muttered a curse at Rhodes under his breath. Nexus backed off as the guys came through, but Otunga pointed at Rhodes and retorted, "This is our spot!"

Rhodes glanced around and asked, "What? Did you mark it with your piss or something?"

Otunga clenched his fists and glared at Rhodes. Ignoring the look, Rhodes pointed to a spot just a few feet from Nexus and said, "We'll shoot there."

Slater came up to our photographer and argued, "Are you gonna let them make their shots so close? Can't you throw them out?"

Our photographer shrugged and played dumb. Otunga added angrily, "Rhodes isn't even a professional photographer! There's got to be some rule for that!"

Shaking his head, our photographer replied, "As long as he's not blocking my shoot, he's fine where he is."

"Fuck!" Otunga shouted.

"Oi! Keep it down over there, will ya?" McIntyre called to us.

I had to struggled not to laugh as I glanced over at Randy. He gave me a wry half-smile before we broke eye contact to keep Nexus from noticing. Morrison suddenly walked over to me, and Slater shouted angrily, "What the hell?"

Morrison ignored Slater and handed me a small black portable drive as he said, "Here's the list you wanted, man."

Nexus went quiet and all eyes were on me. I asked Morrison curiously, "List?" 

"Yeah, you stopped to talk to me in the locker room last night, and you asked me to make you a list of the current RAW and Smackdown roster," Morrison explained.

"Uh...can't I just look up that information online?" I asked.

Morrison shrugged, saying, "That's what I said last night, but you insisted I make it for you, and you paid me for the time, so here you go."

He gestured to the drive. I was still totally clueless, but I knew that everyone around us was watching, so I put a fake look of realization as I lied, "Oh, the list! Right! I totally spaced it, man."

"No problem, it's all good now," Morrison nodded before he turned to go back to his group.

I quickly pocketed the drive and asked Nexus, "Well, are we finished?" 

They forgot about the strange moment and Slater yelled at me angrily, "Of course not, Cena! That's a dumbass fucking question!"

"Moving on," I put up my hands in defeat, and our photographer resumed the shoot.

Harris moved in my way again, and I took the moment to glance quickly at Randy. He looked back at me with an incredulous expression.

 _He was as clueless about Morrison's list as I was._

 _:-:_

After the photo shoot, I took off for a quick break before we all had to go into a separate room for an autograph signing. I stood by the soda machine and drank down my purchase while I flexed my left hand to keep it from cramping up during the signing.

Goldust appeared from out of nowhere and startled me so badly, I almost choked on my soda. He stared at me while he ran his hands along the front of the soda machine like it was a beautiful woman, then he produced a quarter in his right hand from thin air and placed it gingerly into the machine's slot.

 _Dustin Rhodes had a way of using his disturbing behavior to make just about anything appear erotically charged. I could never tell if his intent was to turn people on or freak them out...or both._

I remained still, as if fighting the instinct to run would make the predator Goldust disinterested in me and he would go away. It didn't work, and he inched his way closer to me until he was so deeply in my personal space, I was beginning to think he was about to shed his skin and make me the next host.

He sniffed me once, then he said in almost a whisper, "Have you come up with a plan yet?"

I swallowed hard, then I replied timidly, "Uh...plan?"

"Where's your hat, John? I like your...CeNation...hat..." Goldust eyed my head like it was so bland without its gear.

"Um...Nexus won't let me wear it," I mentioned.

Goldust sucked in a shrill breath, making me jump a little, then he stated venomously, "Nexus! I hate those little bastards!"

"Oh, me too," I smiled, trying to ease the weirdness.

Goldust narrowed his eyes at me and I made my smile disappear. He came in close again and whispered, "You said that you had a plan against The Nexus bastards. You told me backstage last night, before my match against Slater."

"You fought Slater last night?" I blurted, inspiring unwanted suspicion from Goldust.

"Are you teasing me, John Cena?" he asked strongly.

I shook my head rapidly, explaining, "No, I just forgot. The plan, yes, I have a plan. I just need to...think it over a little bit more."

"Uh-huh," Goldust still seemed unconvinced.

"Hey, Dustin," Randy's voice said from behind me.

I whirled around as Randy came up beside me, looking completely nonchalant as he nodded at Goldust.

 _How was he NOT freaked the fuck out? Was the Viper immune to the Bizarre One?_

Goldust suddenly straightened up and became completely normal, saying to Randy, "What's up, man?"

I stood there dumbfounded as Randy replied calmly, "Not much. I just came to get Cena for the signing."

"Yeah, that's cool. I was just asking him about something we discussed last night, but he's totally confused," Goldust explained.

Randy chuckled and mentioned, "Yeah, he's a little fuzzy this morning."

With a slight smile, Goldust asked Randy suggestively, "Didn't have anything to do with you, huh?"

 _I thought I couldn't be more shocked. Turns out, I was wrong._

"Maybe a little," Randy replied.

"Alright, alright, well you talk to him about what we discussed. I'm in and I want updates," Goldust said.

"Absolutely," Randy smiled, then Goldust gave me one last mysterious look before he strolled away and left us alone.

"What just happened?" I asked, totally confused.

"Dustin and I are really good friends. He knows me too well to hide our secret from him," Randy answered.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Randy added shortly, "He's bisexual himself and he's been a wrestler long enough to know how important it is to keep quiet."

I sighed, answering, "It just seems like our secret isn't really as hidden as I thought it was."

Randy frowned and replied, "I know what you mean. The attacker knows and he hasn't tried to use that knowledge. It makes me uneasy."

 _The attacker. I had almost forgotten about him._

"Do you have anything on the attacker?" I asked eagerly.

Randy shook his head, replying, "Not yet. I don't think he'll make an appearance since Wade is gone."

"The attacker showed some wrestling experience before, and he has a beard, so that's something," I mentioned.

Randy pointed to my pocket and said, "Maybe that's what your list is for."

A light bulb went off in my head as I realized that the list Morrison made for me could be more valuable than I thought. I looked at Randy and asked, "You think it would be that obvious? The attacker on the current roster?"

"At this point, I don't know," Randy answered.

:-:

Hours and hours of autographs. Cameras flashing in my face, reporters asking me questions, and more and more and more autographs. I was so exhausted when I finally finished, Randy had to practically drag me into his truck and back to the hotel.

I collapsed on the bed and groaned loudly. Randy chuckled and said sarcastically, "It's not so bad if you switch hands."

"I tolf you I fon't wrut wuf my right hund," I argued with my face buried in the blanket.

"It's not like they would notice. You could put two squiggly lines on there and the fans would go wild," Randy used his dry sense of humor to cheer me up.

I rolled over on my back to face him and replied, "I like to make it readable. That way fans know it's authentic."

"You and your fans. Kissin' babies and helpin' old ladies cross the street," Randy continued his straight faced jokes.

"What do you do? Spit on babies and kick old ladies in the skull?" I countered with a short laugh.

Randy pointed at me and stated, "Hey, I don't spit on babies. I don't need to; they drool on themselves."

I busted out laughing at the thought of Randy saving his spit on behalf of drooling babies. He lain down next to me and waited until I finished, then he asked more seriously, "Do you still have no idea about what happened yesterday?"

I tried to capture the memories that Randy was talking about, but there was nothing. I responded sadly, "No."

"Could it be possible that the things you remember were just some drug-induced nightmare?" Randy asked.

"I guess so. It seemed so real to me, but then again, what you described this morning seemed so real to you," I answered.

Randy rolled over on top of me so he could look me in the eyes, then he said quietly, "I'm still sorry for not realizing something was wrong with you."

"That reminds me, you still haven't described what we did," I said with a wicked smile.

Randy started to turn red again. I begged him in a mock-girly voice, "Come on, please! I have to know that our love is true! Profess it to me, Randy! Profess!"

He squinted one eye in disdain, retorting, "Oh God, Cena! You sound like an annoying little bitch!"

 _Bitch. Why did that word stand out?_

It echoed in my mind as something in my memories tried to boil to the surface. I could hear a male voice deep within my thoughts shouting, "Bitch!"

"What? What's wrong?" Randy asked.

The memory faded away, and I explained, "The word bitch, it reminded me of something that I had forgotten, but it's gone now. I have no clue what that was about."

Randy became concerned, asking, "Was it something bad?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly.

Sighing with frustration, Randy tried to go back to our main subject, asking, "So you want to hear what we did last night first?"

I laughed and he leaned in to kiss me. Just before our lips touched, my cell phone started buzzing in my front pocket. Randy half-smiled and asked dryly, "Do I really turn you on that much?" 

"Yes. Now get off," I said, pushing him aside.

Randy rolled off of me and I sat up to pull out my phone. I saw as soon as I opened it that the number calling me belonged to Wade, and I rolled my eyes as I hit send and put the phone to my ear, asking, "What?"

I heart a short wave of static on the other end, then an obviously distorted voice said from the other end, "I liked watching you with Randy last night. You two play some very naughty games."

I glanced at Randy. He was close enough to overhear. Randy leaned in more closely to listen as I asked, "Who is this?"

"Who else? Your hooded foe. Your nemesis. I believe you call me...your attacker. From now on, I would like to be called your Shadow."

I stated angrily, "Is this supposed to be a clue? You're calling from Wade's phone and I already know you work for him. I'll figure you out soon enough and then all this will be over."

The voice countered shrilly, "You think you're so smart, John Cena! You think you know the truth, but you don't know anything! I should have kicked your ass like I did once before!"

"Thank you for that. You just confirmed that you're a fellow wrestler!" I shouted.

Another wave of static came through, then the distorted voice said more calmly, "That isn't a secret. The real secret is my true identity, which you'll never uncover before I tell everyone about you and Randy!"

"You wouldn't do that," I said.

Randy stared at me with surprise. The voice on the other end asked, "Why not?"

"If you do, then that means we couldn't play anymore, and I think you enjoy gaming with me," I answered confidently.

Another wave of static filled the silence for several seconds, then the voice stated darkly, "I hope you like losing the memories you create with Randy, because I'm going to keep taking them from you."

I could feel the anger rising up within me. The voice finished with, "You won't remember much after being continually drugged, but don't worry, I'll have it all on film for you...in the care of Wade Barrett."

"You fucking bas-" I started, but the line clicked dead.

I threw my phone across the room. It sadly landed on the soft carpet without so much as a scratch. I was heaving with fury as I looked at Randy and yelled, "What the fuck do we do now?"

"We stop," Randy said.

"Stop what?" I shouted.

He answered reluctantly, "We stop being together."

I shot up and put my fist through the wall. I pulled my bloodied knuckle out and yelled, "No! Fuck no! Fuck that! Fuck them all and all this bullshit!"

Randy remained calm, stating, "It doesn't have to be permanent. We just don't touch each other for a while, just to lead the attacker out..."

"Didn't you hear? He wants to be called Shadow now!" I seethed sarcastically.

"John," Randy said thickly, and I stopped to look at him.

He got up and came over to me, taking my bloody knuckle in his hands as he locked eyes with me and stated, "We have to stop. He'll come out soon, and he'll bring Wade Barrett with him. We'll catch them all."

"I can't do it...I can't," I pleaded, my voice barely audible.

Randy reached up to touch my face, but he stopped before he reached it. He let me go completely, stepping back as he said, "I need you to get your own room tonight."

"I..." I started, but I couldn't find the words.

Randy folded his arms and waited for me to leave. I stormed passed him and grabbed my cell phone, then I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. I stopped just before I left and turned back to him, saying spitefully, "Now I wish my memories of last night were true. If you were in the fucking hospital last night instead of fucking me, none of this would've happened!"

Randy blinked and his stone gaze faltered as if my words had poisoned him inside. I instantly regretted what I said, but I was too angry to apologize. I turned on my heel and left the room, leaving Randy alone within it.

 _I guess the Viper wasn't immune to the bite of others._


	18. Chapter 18

18:

 _I'm angry. I'm alone. I have no one to turn to. I have no way to vent my emotions._

 _I'm a sexually frustrated endurance wrestler with bi-curious tendencies and a recent knack for being repeatedly drugged._

 _I am so fucked up right now._

After a sleepless night in my hotel room, I rode with Koslov to the next arena.

 _Best thing about Koslov: he wasn't much of a talker._

The arena had a small cafeteria, so I grabbed a bowl of cereal and sat down to eat, regardless that I didn't feel hungry.

 _I didn't feel much of anything at the moment._

Randy would be at the arena soon, and I couldn't help thinking of ways to avoid him. It would be easy until the event tonight, when I would probably have to see him in the locker room.

 _I wasn't scheduled to wrestle. I could probably avoid the locker room completely._

I was still planning when I heard a woman's voice ask, "Are you busy, Mr. Cena?"

Barely able to lift my eyes, I was pleasantly surprised by a blond bombshell standing before me wearing an ash colored dress-suit and a great big smile. She had a pen and paper in her hands, and I knew immediately that she was a reporter.

 _Was this a part of Shadow's new plan?_

I became defensive, telling her, "I don't really have the time for an interview right now."

I started to get up, but she put her hand up to stop me and said, "Please, I don't want an interview. I just wanted to tell you that I am such a huge fan."

 _A hot chick fan. Hmm._

I sat back down again and she took the seat across from me, saying, "My name is Julie and I've been watching you since your career started. I'm here for an cultural interview with Sheamus, but I just want you to know that I would love to interview you anytime."

 _I had a feeling she meant more by that than just a question-and-answer exchange._

A smile spread across my face. I couldn't help thinking how good it felt to be near someone who cared. I had only been away from Randy for a little over twelve hours, but it felt like decades of oblivion.

Julie leaned in and smiled back at me suggestively. We were the only two people in the cafeteria, but she still whispered as she asked, "Would you mind meeting up with me later? I would just love to talk about your career...or whatever else you like."

My eyed widened a little, and Julie got up slowly, slipping me a piece of paper with her number on it before she left the room. I stared down at her digits, and suddenly it became clear to me that I was far more lonely than I originally thought.

 _I knew it because I was actually considering the open invitation for a one night stand._

The door to the cafeteria burst open, and in walked Nexus, headed by Slater. As soon as Slater saw me, he pointed at me and yelled, "Dammit, Cena! Why won't you answer your phone?"

I had turned it off after I left Randy's room last night. I had forgotten to turn it back on again, but I didn't want Slater to know that.

"I don't know, maybe I don't want to talk to you," I said, getting up to leave.

"What did you just say to me?" Slater stated, stepping in my path.

I locked eyes with him and stood my ground. The rest of Nexus became defensive, ready to gang up on me.

 _And I felt nothing._

I shoved Slater back and took off before Nexus could overwhelm me. I rushed out of the cafeteria and stopped in the hallway, hearing the voice of another wrestler coming around the corner. I waited, and soon Teddy DiBiase and Randy appeared.

DiBiase was talking and gesturing and hadn't noticed me, but Randy looked up almost as if he sensed I was near. We locked eyes for a split second, and I felt something deep within me break open.

My heart started thundering in my chest, and I looked away quickly, hoping it would ease the tension inside of me, but it seemed like breaking contact with Randy only made me feel worse. I leaned against the wall and tried to breathe normally as Teddy finally noticed me and asked, "Did you catch that interviewer chick, Cena? She was asking about you."

I deliberately avoided looking at Randy, but I could feel the jealousy coming off of him as he stopped a distance away from me and boldly folded his arms. I smiled wryly and answered Teddy, "Yeah, she gave me her phone number."

I held up the piece of paper, and I noticed Randy visibly tensing out of the corner of my eye. Teddy tried to grab the paper from me, asking jokingly, "Oh hey, let me see that real quick. I just want to verify the number is correct."

"No, it's mine!" I turned away and tried to shove the note back into my pocket.

Teddy tried to grab me around the waist to get to the paper, and we play fought while Randy continued to stand by and sulk. My good humor was short lived, because Nexus suddenly burst back through the cafeteria door. Teddy and I straightened up as Slater handed me his cell phone and stated darkly, "Wade wants to talk to you."

I took the cell phone. I opened the back of my jeans and slipped it into my ass crack, then I proceeded to to let out a climactic fart.

DiBiase busted out laughing. Slater gave me a disgusted look and shouted, "What the fuck?"

The rest of Nexus was too shocked to stop me. I pulled the cell back out and sucked up a huge wad of spit, then projected it onto the screen and keypad before I closed the phone and handed it back to Slater, saying, "I'm busy right now."

Slater looked at me and then at the phone, then he slapped the phone out of my hand and shouted, "You're fucking sick, Cena! Wade is going to hear about this and you'll be in deep shit!"

Maybe it was my lack of emotion. Maybe it was the breaking inside that I felt from losing Randy. Maybe it was just that I had become a Grade A dumbass, but I leaned into Slater and uttered the smoothest words on the planet, "You should have threatened me when I still had something to lose."

Then I turned on my heel and walked away.

:-:

I hid out for a while, then I went to the separate locker room reserved for Nexus.

I found their gym bags and proceeded to trash everything that was in them. I tore their clothes, stuffed their wrestling trunks down the sink, flushed their portable music players, smashed anything that couldn't be flushed, and stole all of their cash.

Otunga had enough cash stashed away to put a down payment on a car. I took his name brand hoodie and put it on, then I unzipped my pants and peed in every one of the gym bags.

 _I got that idea from what Rhodes said at the photo shoot._

Then I took off, and kept walking clear out of the arena. I remembered to turn my phone on and it almost instantly buzzed with messages and missed calls. Most of them were from Wade, but there was one missed call from Randy, and the time stamp showed that it came through about the time that I was pissing on The Nexus' gear.

He left a voicemail, but I didn't check it. I pressed delete and erased everything, then I tossed my phone into a nearby trashcan.

 _I felt like a change._

It wasn't hard to find a store that catered to cell phones. I bought a better, colorful smart phone with a new number. I pocketed it and walked to a nearby miniature golf course. I paid for a round and tried awkwardly to hit the ball with the tiny club that felt like a damn toothpick until I heard my new cell ring.

I opened it and checked the number. I didn't have any contacts saved so it didn't have a name, and I didn't recognize the number. I answered it anyway, and the distorted voice of Shadow came through to tell me, "You think you can change your number and hide from me, Cena? It doesn't work like that."

"First of all, I don't have any intention of hiding from you. Second of all, I'm getting a little tired of your creepy Cryptkeeper voice, and if you had any fucking guts at all, you would just talk to me like a normal human being," I stated.

The voice argued, "Don't you talk to me li-"

I turned my phone off. I looked around to make sure no one was in the line of fire. When I saw that the coast was clear, I tossed the phone up into the air and swung the toothpick inspired golf club to smash it into a thousand pieces.

 _Oh well. Slater paid for it anyway._

After goofing off at the miniature golf course for a while longer, I walked around town and surveyed the sights, enjoying the silence that surrounded me.

 _That is, until I heard the engine of a muscle car revving up nearby._

I caught sight of a yellow classic that had been fully restored, and a burly looking guy with a blue beard was just getting out of it with a FOR SALE sign in his hand.

I asked him how much. He quoted me a good price. I gave him Otunga's money, and he gave me the keys.

The ride was great back to the arena. I saw Natalya in the parking lot and stopped beside her. I rolled down the window and she leaned down to look inside, saying, "Nice ride, John!"

"Wanna pop wheelies in the parking lot?" I asked.

"Sure!" Nat smiled, running around to get into the passenger's seat.

We spun. We circled. We spun. We circled. Nat laughed. I shouted. We spun. The tires shrieked. The car went around and around. I felt sick but kept going. Nat laughed but got sick, too. We spun. We circled. Nat shouted out the window. I hollered and we spun again.

The parking lot was almost black with figure eights. I knew the tires would wear out soon, but we were having too much fun. I circled around for another spin and shouted at Nat, "You wanna go one more?"

"Hell yes!" she smiled, and I zoomed forward.

Someone stepped into our path. Nat screamed and I slammed on the breaks. The car came to a stop just inches from the person, and he slammed his palms down on the hood, putting his weight on his completely tattooed arms.

Randy glared at me through the windshield with a stone expression. Nat and I just stared back at him as we stayed completely still. Nat mentioned to me quietly, "He looks really pissed."

 _She had no idea that Randy's emotional intensity was directed at me._

"Yeah. You should probably get out first," I said.

Nat started to get out, but Randy didn't bother to look at her. He kept his gaze on me, his blue-green eyes locked with mine in a Viper's stare. Once Nat was out of the car, she closed the door, and I reached for my own handle.

Then I suddenly shifted the gear into reverse and slammed on the gas.

I accelerated backwards and away from Randy. He stumbled forward and landed on his knees, then looked up in shock as I zoomed away from him and put the car into a spin so that it circled completely around before I put the gear into drive and took off after the sunset.

 _I'm angry. I'm alone. With no one to turn to and nothing to lose, I've chosen to vent my emotions through extreme self-destruction._

 _What have I become?_


	19. Chapter 19

19:

I drove around for hours. I stopped in front of a random club. I paid the bouncer with Otunga's cash to let me in. I took a seat at the end of the bar and waited for the hot blond bartender to ask me in her chipper voice, "What would you like?"

I pulled out the rest of Otunga's cash and slapped it on the table, replying, "Whatever I can get with all this."

She glanced down, and seeing the several hundred dollar bills I had made her eyes light up as bright as the neon blue strobes on the dance floor.

:-:

Next thing I knew, I was in the passenger's seat of my muscle car, and the city lights were streaking past me at full speed. I looked over and saw the bartender chick in the driver's seat, her foot pressing the gas pedal to the floor while she laughed and cheered.

"So where should I take you?" she asked, her bright red lips glistening as she smiled at me.

I was so drunk, I just blurted the address of the hotel closest to the arena where I was supposed to be staying.

 _It never occurred to me that the other wrestlers would be there, too._

She parked the car in front. I got out and started walking, and I felt fine, but I must've been stumbling because the bartender chick put my hulking arm over both of her tiny shoulders and attempted to help me walk. We went inside and the front desk clerk frowned when he saw us coming. I pulled out a wad of cash, and his frown lessened a bit.

Slapping the last of The Nexus' cash down on the front desk, I stated, "I want the Honeymoon Suite!"

The bartender chick laughed loudly. The desk clerk took all the cash quickly and gave me a book to sign-in.

 _I used the not-so-discreet alias of Rob Van Dam. I really missed riding with him._

The clerk handed me the key card and I stumbled off with the bartender chick. She pulled me along as we passed the empty pool and the workout room. I glanced inside and saw Maryse on the treadmill. She looked at me, then the bartender chick, and gave us both a disgusted expression. I waved happily at her anyway, and the bartender chick started laughing again.

We went on our way, but when I glanced back, I noticed Maryse had gotten off of the treadmill and was pulling out her cellphone to make a call.

Somewhere along the line, we made it to the Honeymoon Suite. It was red...and white...and feathery...and there was some powder and rose smell coming from the carpet. The bed was shaped like a heart. I was hoping I wouldn't hurl just from staring at it.

The bartender chick playfully shoved me and I fell back into the heart shaped bed. The blankets underneath me were super soft. I watched the bartender chick unzip her jacket and take it off, then she pulled off her tank top and slid on top of me. She had to yank and pull to get my t-shirt off, because I was too uncoordinated to help her. She put her hands on my chest and admired my physique, asking me, "Are you like, a bodybuilder?"

"No, I'm just a paperboy," I said jokingly, and she laughed so loud, it hurt my ears.

She leaned in and touched her glistening lips to mine. They tasted like strawberries.

 _I should be sprung right now._

She reached down and tugged on my belt, releasing my lips so she could smile at me as she asked wickedly, "Where do you want to put it?"

 _Seriously. I should be sprung right now._

"Uhh...give me a minute to think," I said, but my thoughts were all jumbled in my head.

She hummed a sigh and added, "I'll let you tie me up if you want."

 _Ah, hell. I don't feel a damn thing._

It had nothing to do with her. I had slept with women before without a problem, but this time was different.

 _I just want Randy._

"What?" the bartender chick asked.

"What?" I repeated, confused.

"You just said something," she answered.

"Oh...I did?" I was confused again.

She laughed and replied, "Yeah, you did. I thought you said Randy."

 _Whoops._

I opened my mouth to argue, but a knock at the door stopped me. The bartender chick sighed heavily and got up to put her tank top back on. I stared up at the painted red and pink hearts on the ceiling as the bartender chick answered the door and a vaguely familiar male voice started speaking to her. I was too drunk to be able to concentrate on what they were saying, but the male voice sounded concerned. At one point, I was sure the male voice said, "Maryse called me."

The bartender chick suddenly came back into the room. A male walked in after her, and I realized why the voice was so familiar.

 _Randy._

He folded his arms and leaned against the dresser by the far wall while the bartender chick grabbed her jacket. I stared at Randy, but my drunken stupor prevented me from reacting much.

 _No matter how drunk I was, I could still feel the breaking inside._

I looked away from him and watched the bartender chick put her jacket on. I asked her, "Where are you going?"

"I just remembered I have some place to be," she smiled kindly.

"No, you don't have to go. Come and stay here with me," I patted the heart shaped bed, causing several feathers to float out of a nearby pillow.

"You're so cute," she said, coming over to give me one last kiss.

I watched her kiss me, then she let go and smiled at me one more time before taking her leave.

Once the door was closed, I expected Randy to start yelling, but he didn't. He just stood there and stared at me with his intense gaze, like he didn't know what to make of me. I dared to stare back at him, but the breaking inside threatened to overwhelm me, so I rolled over on my stomach away from him and shouted at Randy, "Go away! I hate you and I never want to see you again!"

 _I would like to thank my drunken stupor for making me sound like I'm five-years-old._

I could no longer see Randy, but I could feel him making his way closer to me as he asked thickly, "What are you doing to yourself, John?"

"I said I hate you, now go away!" I restated angrily.

Randy's voice came on more strongly as he argued, "I asked you a question and I expect an answer. You're acting like an animal all of the sudden and I demand to know why."

"I don't have to tell you anything!" I shouted.

"Don't talk to me like a child, John," Randy said.

I sat up to see that Randy was standing by the bedside as I yelled, "What are you going to do? Spank me? Tell my mommy? Put me in a corner because I can't play nice with the other children?"

Randy replied boldly, "I have no problem giving you a good spanking."

I locked eyes with him. I knew he meant what he said.

I laid back down to face away from him and stated, "It doesn't matter what you do. I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing."

Randy was quiet for a moment, and I knew he was seething. He strained calm as he explained to me, "Nexus has filed a complaint against you for trashing their locker room. If it goes through, you'll be suspended, and that means you can't ref Survivor Series tomorrow night."

I sat up again and argued, "So what? Maybe I don't want to ref Survivor Series!"

Randy's eyes went wide with surprise as he asked me, "What? Why?"

I answered honestly, "Because I could never forgive myself if Wade legitimately won the title and I had to fucking hand it over to him!"

Randy blinked and took a step back, completely shocked. It must've never occurred to him what was going through my head about Survivor Series. I added more quietly, "I'd be too ashamed to look you in the eyes again."

I laid back down so I didn't have to see Randy's reaction. He was quiet again, then he said solemnly, "I want you to be there. I want you to ref."

"Why? Wade has made your life miserable because of me," I replied morosely.

"I don't think of it like that," Randy said, his voice slightly catching.

I closed my eyes and confessed to him, "I don't care what happens anymore. I just want it all to be over."

"It will be over soon, John," Randy said.

I slowly sat up to look at him again and asked, "What do you mean?"

With a slight smile, he answered, "No matter what the outcome at Survivor Series, you're free of Nexus."

"Yeah...free," the word sounded meaningless to me.

Randy swallowed hard, then he asked, "Could I ask you something honestly?"

"Better ask now. I can't hold my words back when I'm drunk," I answered.

Randy was thoughtful for a moment before he asked, "Do you think I deserve the title?"

I scoffed, answering, "That's a stupid question. Of course you deserve it."

Randy half-smiled gratefully, but mentioned, "Wade jokes constantly that I only get opportunities because I'm the son of legends. I don't want the title if I didn't earn it."

I retorted angrily, "Wade is a shriveled dick! I've been here since you debuted in the WWE and I've never seen you ask for or win or take anything that you didn't deserve!"

I laid back down in a huff. I felt Randy's weight edging into the bed as he asked thickly, "Did I deserve it when I took you?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely," I stated.

"So you don't want me just because I'm the son of legends?" Randy joked dryly.

He moved on top of me as I rolled over to face him and replied just as jokingly, "Yes, it's true. I have a thing for sons of legends."

Randy chuckled and I added, "If we had started this sooner, I could've been the whore of Legacy."

Randy busted out laughing, then he pinched my arm playfully and said, "You're such a freak, Cena."

"Bet you like that, huh?" I reached out to pinch him back, but he easily pulled away from me.

He came back and we started mock wrestling with each other. I was too drunk to compete with Randy, and soon he had me in a loose headlock. I tapped out on on the pillows, sending feathers flying everywhere, but he wouldn't release the hold. I shouted jokingly, "DQ! DQ for manhandling the ref!"

Randy breathed into my ear, "Oh, please don't DQ me, ref. I'll do anything you want. Anything."

"Nope. There's nothing you can do. I've made my choice," I stated.

Randy pressed his lips against a spot just behind my left ear and started sucking on it. Immediately, I started feeling a wave of arousal that spread throughout my body. I moaned and asked him, "What the hell are you doing?"

He didn't respond, but sucked a little harder, which only intensified the arousal. I was getting so turned on by such a simple spot that I was beginning to wonder if I would actually come.

"Alright, I will reconsider the DQ," I groaned with pleasure.

Randy pulled away from the spot and released the hold, then he turned me over to face him and licked his lips before he asked me, "What do you want me to do to you know?"

"I thought you said we had to stay separated," I reminded him.

Leaning in so he was within an inch of my lips, Randy whispered, "I can't stop myself now."

He pressed his groin up against my left hip. I could feel its stiffness throbbing in his jeans.

"Damn," I whispered, then I unintentionally passed out.

:-:

I woke up with a start the next morning. I checked the clock and realized I had to hurry or I would be late catching the private bus to the Survivor Series arena.

I looked around, shouting, "Randy?"

 _He wasn't there. He must've already left for the bus._

I rushed to take a shower and put on my clothes. Remnants of the night before came into my mind while I hurried, including passing out at the worst possible time.

 _Why, fate? Why?!_

Grabbing my bags, I checked out and ran outside, beaming when I saw the WWE bus and most of the wrestlers still in the parking lot. I rushed over to them as R-Truth waved at me and remarked, "You almost missed us, John!"

"Yeah, just in time," I replied.

Sheamus nodded at me from where he was leaning against the bus, saying, "We all heard whatcha did ta Nexus, an' we're with ya, fella."

The other wrestlers and Divas clapped and cheered. I waved their enthusiasm away and said jokingly, "I just wanted to show them there are no free rides around here."

R-Truth pointed behind my left ear and asked, "What's that?"

I reached up to touch where he was pointing, and I could feel the skin was slightly sore where Randy had been sucking on me the night before. DiBiase stepped out from the crowd and stated, "That's gotta be a hickey!"

Some of the guys whistled and hollered as R-Truth asked with a wry smile, "Was it that journalist chick checking you out, yesterday?"

I answered jokingly, "Oh yeah, but she was a strong one. She threatened to spank me and she put me in a submission hold!"

The guys all laughed heartily, and I took the opportunity to sneak away and get onto the bus. I was rubbing the hickey behind my ear when I looked around and saw that Randy was the only one seated on the bus already. He looked up at me and became concerned when he saw me rubbing the spot, so I pulled my hand away to put my bag in the overhead storage, making sure to turn my head so that Randy could see the hickey.

He chuckled wickedly and I narrowed my eyes at him. Our upbeat moment was short lived, because I heard Slater shout from outside, "Cena!"

I looked out the tinted windows of the bus to see Nexus marching toward us. Randy stood up and his expression went serious as I turned toward the open bus doors and braced for the worst. Slater stormed in first, his face more red than his hair as he pointed at me and stated, "You're in so much trouble, Cena!"

"For what? For teaching you guys a lesson? Fuck if I care," I replied darkly.

Slater slowed his pace somewhat, like he was surprised by my reaction. The rest of Nexus came in, and they stopped just a few feet from me as Otunga stated angrily, "Where's my money, Cena?"

"I spent it on a muscle car and a new cell phone," I said honestly.

I glanced at Randy and he lifted a brow with surprise. I added just as truthfully, "I smashed the new cell phone because I decided I didn't like it, and I used the car to pop wheelies. Then I spent the last of the money on very expensive club drinks and a hotel room designed for a hot night of passion."

All of Nexus became confused. Randy clicked his tongue to stifle laughter.

Otunga responded first, asking, "What did you do with your old cell phone, Cena? Wade's been trying to call you."

"I tossed it in the trash. I got tired of it buzzing all the time," I answered.

Nexus became confused again, unsure if I were lying or not. Gabriel nodded at me and asked, "What angle are you playing, Cena?"

"No angle, I've just decided that honesty is the best policy," I said.

They still couldn't catch up with me. Slater pointed at me again and stated with less ferocity, "Well, you better know that Wade is back and he'll be waiting for you with McMahon at the arena. I suggest you meet up with them as soon as you get there."

The other wrestlers started coming into the bus to take their seats. Nexus became visibly uncomfortable by being outnumbered, and started to head back outside. I added as they left, "I'll be sure and do that."

Slater shot me one last spiteful look before Nexus left the bus. I glanced back at Randy and he shook his head as he took his seat. I went to take my seat across the aisle from him, when Morrison hopped onto the bus and walked up to me, saying, "Cena!"

"Yeah?" I asked.

Morrison handed me a small package and explained, "Someone dropped this at my door this morning, but looks like they got the wrong John."

I looked down at the package and saw that it was marked John Cena.

"Okay, thanks man," I said, and Morrison walked off to take his seat.

I looked at Randy, but he shook his head unknowingly. I sat down and pulled open the package just as the bus driver came in and took his seat. I reached into the package, pulling away the newspaper that was protecting whatever was inside, then my eyes widened in shock when I realized what the package contained.

 _My old cell phone._

There it was, turned on and staring back at me, slightly more scuffed than it was when I tossed it in the trash, but otherwise in decent condition. I pulled it out and searched the package for any sign of a message, but there wasn't one. I looked across the aisle at Randy and he looked back at me questionably. I used my old cell phone to text his phone, and we conversed quietly while the bus driver got us out of the parking lot and on the main highway toward our destination.

FROM: J. CENA

TO: VIPER'S PHONE

SOMEONE FOUND MY OLD CELL & SENT IT TO ME.

FROM: RANDY ORTON

TO: CENATION'S CELL

HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?

FROM: J. CENA

TO: VIPER'S PHONE

DON'T KNOW. THOUGHT I WAS ALONE WHEN TOSSED IT.

FROM: RANDY ORTON

TO: CENATION'S CELL

COME SIT NEXT TO ME. WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. TEXTING=TIRED THUMBS.

I looked up to make sure the bus driver wasn't watching us through his rear-view mirror, then I quickly got up and slid over to the seat beside Randy. The other wrestlers and Divas were far enough up front that they couldn't hear us, but Randy still kept his voice low as he leaned into me and asked, "Why the hell would someone dig out your cell and try to send it back to you?"

"No clue. Could be some new joke from Shadow," I mentioned.

Randy clenched his jaw at the mention of Shadow, then he changed the subject, saying, "I want to be there when you go in to talk to Wade and McMahon."

"I doubt they'll let you. McMahon will just tell you to wait outside," I said.

Randy breathed a frustrated sigh through his nose. Then he asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

I shook my head and answered, "I don't think so. They've got my piss as evidence that I did the crime. Now I'll have to do the time."

"I wish there was some way I could make it better," Randy said solemnly.

"If there were, I wouldn't want you to," I replied, making Randy look at me with surprise.

I added, "I don't want to be afraid of Nexus anymore. If I'm going out tonight, I'm going out in a blaze of glory."

Randy chuckled with understanding, then he leaned in closer and said, "Well, we've got a couple of hours until the arena. Let's say we play a game."

"What kind of game?" I asked curiously.

"Let's play: How many parts of Cena can Randy touch with his idle hands before the bus driver notices?" Randy smiled wickedly.

I looked up to see the bus driver glancing into his rear-view mirror to check on everyone. I responded to Randy with a half-smile, "Sounds like fun."

:-:

"What's that behind your ear?" McMahon pointed at my hickey as soon as I came into his makeshift office at the arena.

Wade was leaning on the desk in the office, but he straightened up when he saw the mark behind my ear. I mentioned casually, "Just a gift from a lady friend."

McMahon smiled knowingly and motioned for me to take one of the three seats in the room. Wade took the other seat across from me, glaring right at my hickey like it infuriated him to know the truth about where it came from.

McMahon took the next next to Wade and leaned forward to explain to me, "Now, John, we've got a big problem here. Nexus is filing a formal complaint against you because they say you trashed their locker room yesterday, and they have plenty of evidence to back up their claim. They're claiming some $10,000 in damages and another $4,000 of stolen cash, as well as they're adding pain and suffering for finding your...urine in each of their gym bags."

I chuckled and said, "Yeah, that was great."

"Wha' did you say, Cena?" Wade shouted angrily.

McMahon put up a hand to stop him and told me, "John, what Wade is trying to ask is: Are you admitting to the crime?"

"Yeah," I replied.

There was a short pause where both Wade and McMahon looked shocked and confused, then McMahon asked me, "Do you realize that this is a serious offense that could be potentially damaging when the time comes to renew your contract, as well as you could face immediate and indefinite suspension and a fine of up to $25,000?"

"Yeah," I answered simply.

"I see. Well, is there anything else you would like to say?" McMahon asked me.

"No," I replied.

McMahon stood up, and so did Wade. McMahon straightened his suit and stretched his neck to either side before he took in a deep breath and told me, "Well then...that settles it. You're free to go."

"WHA'?" Wade shrieked.

McMahon sighed and explained, "Wade, you have to drop these charges. If I suspend Cena, he's out for Survivor Series tonight. Most of our fans paid to watch this event both live and at home to see the outcome of Cena's fate across the Nation. If he's a no-show, your match will fall flat and the fans will be furious, which would be really, really bad for business."

Wade looked at McMahon, then at me, then back at McMahon, considering what he would say next. Then he replied grudgingly, "Very well."

McMahon nodded at me and I got up to leave. Before I was out the door, McMahon yelled at me, "Get someone in makeup to cover that hickey! I don't want a scandal on live TV!"

"Got it!" called back, giving the door a good victory slam just to piss off Wade.

:-:

Randy and I had to stay separated before the show, but I finally caught up with him backstage just moments before we were set to go out to our match. There were other crew members and wrestlers around, so I had to stay quiet as I told Randy what McMahon decided. He grinned broadly when I finished, then he gave my shoulder a hard slap and said, "That's great news!"

I could read from his gaze that he wanted to do so much more than that, but we both knew now was not the time. I looked back and saw that Wade was coming toward us. Randy leaned in and whispered to me, "After this is over, I just want you to do one thing for me."

"What's that?" I asked.

Smiling wryly, Randy answered, "Promise me that, no matter what the outcome is tonight, you'll come to my hotel room as fast as you can."

My eyes widened with surprise, but my good moment didn't last long. Theme music cued, and it was time to end Survivor Series.

Wade and Randy started out clean, but I kept a close eye on Wade to make sure he wasn't going to try anything illegal. The crowd called out loudly with each counter move, booing angrily every time Wade got a good hit in. I watched Randy from time to time, but he didn't dare to look at me. He was focused only on demolishing Wade.

It was obvious that Randy deeply enjoyed every hit he made to Wade. Some of his hits were more brutal than they should've been, but I allowed it, because Wade was putting in a few brutal hits of his own. My stomach started to knot as I realized that the time limit was nearing, and besides a few near falls, neither man was coming close to being the winner.

 _I really wanted Randy to win. I'd literally risk my career on it._

Wade seemed to gain the upper hand toward the end. I couldn't tell if Randy was allowing it to happen on purpose or not. Time seemingly began to slow down as the crowd became anxious for the finale. I was just as anxious as they were, not knowing what the outcome would be.

And then...something unexpected.

Randy gave Wade the RKO, but Wade was too close to the edge of the ring and rolled outside.

The crowd booed heavily and I glanced at Randy with a confused look. He would've never calculated the RKO with the possibility that Wade could roll outside. Randy just looked back at me and smiled mischievously.

 _That's when I knew that he had a plan._

Randy moved with fluid like precision to lye down on the mat and roll out of the ring. He picked Wade up and rolled him back in, then Randy followed suit. I watched as Randy pulled Wade to his feet, then Wade took the opportunity to sucker punch Randy in the jaw.

Randy fell backward and stumbled into the ring ropes, then Wade grabbed Randy's arm and pulled him into the Wasteland finisher. Randy's body hit the mat with a thunderous slam, then Wade put in the cover.

 _No, no, no, no, no, no, no_

"Cena, Cena, Cena, Cena!" the crowd chanted.

I stood there, dumbfounded. Wade looked up at me and shouted angrily, "Count, Cena! Count!"

I blinked. I wasn't sure what was happening.

"Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena!" the crowd continued to chant.

"Make the fucking count, Cena!" Wade bellowed.

I came down on my knees. I lifted my arm and felt it hit the mat. I waited for Randy to kick out, but he didn't.

The crowd chanted, "1...2...3!"

The bell rang. Wade stood up and lifted his arms in triumph. The match was over.

 _Wade was the new WWE Champion._

My insides felt like they were on fire. I wasn't sure if I would throw up or pass out. At the same time that I was aware I was finally free of Nexus and still employed with WWE, I was also aware that Wade was Champion and I had failed to stop his reign of terror.

I looked down at Randy, and he was slowly starting to move again. I leaned down to act like I was making sure he was alright, and I whispered to him, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Everything's fine," Randy mumbled so Wade wouldn't see him responding to me.

I didn't have time to ask what Randy meant. Wade motioned to me and demanded, "Come raise my hand in victory, Cena!"

Randy grabbed the back of his neck and slowly rolled out of the ring. I rose to my feet, staring blankly at Wade as he reached out for me. The crowd booed so loudly, it threatened to burst my eardrums.

 _I thought my worst nightmare was being fired from WWE, but I was wrong. This was my worst nightmare, and it had just come true._

I took a step toward Wade, and my mind went into dream mode. I began to believe that none of this could possibly be happening, and it made things slightly easier to handle. I continued to walk toward Wade, the crowd's booing growing louder with each step I took.

I reached for Wade's wrist, contemplating if I wanted to raise his hand, or give him an Attitude Adjustment, when suddenly, another theme song burst through the tron's speakers.

The crowd mixed with cheering and boos. Both Wade and I turned to look as The Miz and Alex Riley rushed out to the ring. Miz handed his briefcase to me and shouted, "I want to cash in my Money in the Bank!"

 _No. Fucking. Way._

I looked at Wade. He was staring at me with eyes like saucers. I was just as shocked as he was.

Riley took his place at ringside, and Miz bounced around the ring, ready to fight. I waited for another ref to come down to the ring, but no one did. An aging crew member from ringside checked his cell phone for direct messages from McMahon and wandered over to me. I leaned down to give him Miz's suitcase, and he took it as he explained, "Text from Vince says he wants you to ref this match, Cena."

"What?" I shouted.

"That's what he says," the crew member stated.

The announcement came overhead that I was appointed ref for the match. The crowd went wild.

I glanced at the ramp and saw Randy walking backwards toward the stage, smiling broadly as he left. I could see in his eyes that he knew this was going to happen.

 _He and Miz probably had it planned all along._

Miz started for Wade and the bell rang. I stepped in and acted as ref, watching Wade fizzle quickly after already enduring so much punishment from Randy. Miz pummeled him and kicked him and threw him and slammed him, and I couldn't help but smile the whole time.

The crowd was overwhelming. They couldn't get enough of watching Wade get brutalized. I was with them every step of the way, watching Wade put his last desperate efforts into Miz before Miz pulled him into a skull crushing finale and hooked him for the win.

"1...2...3!" the crowd chanted with me.

The bell rang. Miz stood up and lifted his arms in triumph. The match was over.

 _Miz was the new WWE Champion._

I was overjoyed. Tears formed in my eyes as I saw Wade lying face-down on the mat. The ring announcer called out the winner and handed me the belt. I gladly handed it over to Miz, because at least it was out of Wade's grasp.

Riley came in to congratulate Miz. They were busy enjoying themselves, so I took the opportunity to slide out of the ring and grab a chair from underneath. I got back into the ring and raised the chair, and the crowd cheered as I brought it down against Wade's spine.

Wade cried out and the crowd cheered even louder. Miz and Riley moved aside and watched me with interest as I pummeled Wade with the chair. Nexus almost immediately rushed out to get Wade away from me, but I managed about six shots before they pulled him out of the ring by his ankles and dragged Wade away from me.

I got out of the ring and ran after them. The crowd continued their cheers even as I disappeared backstage with Nexus. Once there, Otunga and Harris tried to grab the chair away from me, but other wrestlers backstage began fighting Nexus.

Slater ducked away with Wade. I used the chair to take out Gabriel and McGillicutty. Randy was also waiting backstage and joined in to beat on Otunga. Morrison, Sheamus, DiBiase, and even Daniel Bryan surrounded Nexus. Mark Henry, The Usos, R-Truth, Koslov, Santino, Ryder, Khali and even Natalya, Melina and Tamina joined in. Otunga finally shouted, "Nexus, break!"

I watched The Nexus run for their lives out of the arena. I slapped hands with R-Truth and Santino, I chest-bumped Mark Henry, then I turned my attention to Randy Orton.

Randy pulled me into a hug and said, "Nice going, man."

"Yeah...you, too," I replied.

 _Randy's grip around me was tight. It was such a fucking turn on._

He reluctantly let me go and I mentioned to him, "We have a lot to talk about."

"Later. For now, I happen to know that Miz throws the best fucking parties," Randy smiled.

:-:

It really was a party in the arena. Nexus was gone. I was still with WWE and I didn't have to sell out to do it. Randy put on a good show that he was taking his loss with dignity. Everything was right in the world again.

Randy left in the early hours, and I waited for a few minutes before I went after him. I was walking down the darkened hallway of the arena toward the parking lot when I heard a male's voice call out to me, "Hey, Cena."

I turned around to face the voice, and saw Shadow standing a few yards away from me.

His face was still hidden from view, but his voice sounded very familiar to me. I stayed calm, asking, "You come here to attack me again? You're a little late."

Shadow chuckled and replied, "I'm not here to attack you. On the contrary, I've decided to show myself to you."

I waited anxiously as Shadow stepped into the light. I had to blink several times to believe that it was really true.

 _CM Punk. Shadow was CM fucking Punk._

"Why?" I immediately asked.

Punk shrugged apathetically and replied, "Well, if I told you that, it wouldn't be a game anymore, now would it?"

I rephrased the question, asking, "Why me?"

Punk bit his pierced lip before answering, "I find you a challenge, John Cena. You are the only wrestler who seems to outmatch me just when I'm getting to my highest point in this business. You're in my fucking light, and I want to move you aside."

"What about Wade? I thought he and Nexus took you out," I said.

Punk waved his hand and said with a chuckle, "Just a show to keep you out of the know."

I swallowed hard, then I asked, "So it was all a stunt? You were actually just working for Wade to get to me?"

Punk watched me with a deeply analytical gaze as he explained passively, "I don't work for Wade. I willingly volunteered to help Nexus because I like to see you in pain."

His words pierced my insides. I asked, "What are you going to do now?"

Shrugging, Punk answered like he was talking about nothing more important than the weather, "I don't know, I suppose Wade is out of the picture for a while, so I'll probably take over Nexus and eventually become their leader."

I stared at him. Punk put his palms up in defeat and explained, "Look, I don't care if you take Nexus out one by one, and frankly I'd rather see you put away Wade because he's kind of an arrogant asshole. I won't stop you. I won't even make crazy sex deals with you because I'm not obsessed with you. You can go on back to your precious Randy every night and let him fuck you up the ass."

I clenched my fists. Punk mocked sheepishness and restated, "Oh, sorry, I meant let him make love to you up the ass."

"What's your point then, Punk? Why should I care?" I asked him boldly.

Rolling his eyes like he was getting frustrated explaining things to me, Punk replied, "It's very simple, John. I want you to do what I say when I ask you to do something. No questions asked, no weird counter-games, no fights and no problems. That's all."

"And if I refuse?" I had to ask.

Punk smiled slightly, showing some kind of emotion for the first time as he countered with a rhetorical question, "Randy has hypermobility in his shoulders, right? That means he can bend them farther than normal? A gift and a curse, I suppose, since it means he has more flexibility, but he can injure himself more easily than wrestlers with normal shoulders."

I seethed angrily, "Is that a threat, Punk?"

Shaking his head, Punk answered easily, "No, not at all, John. It's simply a warning. There are many wrestlers who are very envious of Randy for his outstanding achievements. He was trained by the best: HHH and Ric Flair. He has so much to offer, and his generations make him even more valuable. These facts make him a target to wrestlers who would like to see him on the injured list for a very long time, so that they can stake their claim in the spotlight. I happen to know exactly where to find those wrestlers."

I paused to consider his words, then I asked, "What now?"

Frowning slightly, Punk answered, "I was hoping you would have an idea, because I'm not so sure yet."

Then he turned and walked away. I called to him, "Wait. I have to ask you one more question."

Punk stopped and slowly turned to face me with a look of mild interest.

 _His lack of emotion was beginning to seriously creep me out._

"Did you really tape me and Randy together and give it to Wade?" I asked.

Punk let out a short laugh, then he rolled his eyes and replied, "Give me some credit, John. I don't really want to sit around all night and watch you and Randy fuck each other so I can give it up to Wade, who would probably just watch the footage over and over and jack off to it. I'm not quite that sick."

"Then why did you tell me you did?" I asked.

Punk started walking backwards to fade into the shadows, smiling wickedly as he told me, "I wanted to see how much it would take for Ran-Ran to break up with John-Boy."

As he disappeared, his voice echoed through the hallway as he finished with, "Turns out it's not much."

"You're wrong! You're fucking wrong!" I yelled, but Punk was already gone.


	20. Chapter 20

20:

I ran back to Randy's hotel room as fast as I could. As soon as I opened the door, I started shouting, "Randy, you aren't gonna believe this, I have to-"

My voice caught when I realized what I was seeing. Randy was lying naked in bed with the TV on mute and a bowl of popcorn perched on his stomach. What was odd was that he was slumped over and facing away from me.

 _Oh God. Someone must've gotten to him before I did._

I rushed to the side of the bed closest to him and began shaking him violently, shouting, "Randy? Randy! Randy!"

He woke up with a start and the popcorn bowl went flying, spilling puffs all over Randy and the bed. Blinking a few times to catch his bearings, it was obvious Randy was drunk when he asked slowly, "What's on the going fuck?"

"Oh, thank God! I thought you were dead!" I stated dramatically.

Randy scoffed and reached for a puff of popcorn on his chest, popping it into his mouth as he mentioned, "I love me the popcorn."

Sighing with frustration, I put my hands on my hips and stated, "Great. The one time I need you to be serious, and you're naked eating popcorn off of your pecs!"

Shrugging passively, Randy replied, "I must've lost my clothes in the hallway. Happens when I'm drunk."

I started pacing the room, unsure of what to do. Randy watched me curiously, asking, "What's got you all riled up?"

"I came in here to tell you, but I can't say it when you're not going to be able to respond!" I argued.

"Hey, I can resssspond!" Randy slurred.

I sighed heavily again and looked down at his crotch. Randy smiled wryly and joked in an erotic tone, "Like what you see?"

 _I did, but I didn't want to tell him at the moment._

"I can't have a serious conversation with you when there are popcorn pieces stuck to your dick," I said, trying not to laugh.

He locked eyes with me and replied thickly, "It'll just taste like butter and salt now."

I knew he was trying to get me to come to bed, and since I knew I couldn't tell him about Punk because he probably wouldn't remember it in the morning, I decided to forget about the recent drama and let the games begin.

Randy pulled me into bed and rolled me over on my back so he could lye on top of me and kiss me passionately. I could tell that he was anxious to take me because his hands were all over me. He pulled off my shirt and ran his hands along my chest like the bartender chick did, but Randy could make my insides ignite like a strong flame.

I groaned as I felt myself getting hard. Randy leaned down and kissed my chest as he slid his right hand into my jeans, catching me in his palm so he could feel what he was doing to me.

BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP!

It took me a few seconds to realize that it was an alarm. I recognized it as the sound of a fire alarm, and it was coming from other rooms besides ours.

 _Dammit it all to Fuckstown with all the fucking whores._

"Is that supposed to be happening?" Randy lifted his head and listened, his eyes drooping from the alcohol in his system.

"Yeah, it's the fire alarm. Fuck, we have to leave," I said.

Randy looked at me sadly, then he asked, "Couldn't we just finish up and go?"

"No, now get the fuck up and find your clothes!" I shoved him off of me.

I was really disappointed. I wanted nothing more than to be with Randy, but some stupid fire had ruined everything. To make matters worse, I had no idea where to start looking for Randy's clothes.

:-:

I found Randy's shirt in the bathtub. His shoes were behind the TV. His jeans were under the bed, and his socks were nowhere to be found.

His boxers were in the most convenient place: wrapped around the light bulb of his bedside stand. Randy had no recollection of how it got there. It was not easy to get off.

I led Randy outside and found the few other wrestlers who were in the hotel. The others were still at the party with Miz. There were guests in the parking lot, as well as the hotel staff, and I could see some smoke coming from a window on the far side of the building, but it didn't look like much. I asked around, but no one seemed to have a clue what had happened or how serious it was.

Randy found his truck in the parking lot and passed out in the driver's seat. The Fire Department came and stopped the smoke, then they explained that they had to check every room before letting people back in.

 _The hotel had 1,000 rooms._

I was exhausted, and with no bed to sleep in, I decided to take the passenger's side of Randy's truck and call it a night. I knew we had to be up early to get to the next arena, so I made a mental note to wake myself up soon, a tactic that almost always worked for me, and closed my eyes to sleep.

:-:

"...is with me..."

"...yes, sir, I understand, but..."

"...no, it's no problem..."

I opened my eyes and saw huge fields of corn passing me by outside my window. I sat up and realized the truck was moving at a speed that most people would find terrifying. I looked over and saw Randy with one hand on the wheel, talking furiously into his cell phone while he drove.

"We'll be there...no, I'm not speeding," Randy said, pressing on the gas.

He looked like he was over his drunken stupor, but Randy's expression made me think he had been through a rough morning. He finished with, "We'll be there," then he closed his phone and shoved it angrily into his pocket.

"Good morning, lover," I joked, but Randy stared straight ahead.

I became serious and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Everything, as usual," Randy stated darkly.

I glanced around and determined that it was close to noon. I asked, "Are we late to the next arena?"

"We have to get there in less than four hours," Randy said, his voice clipped.

"How far away is it?" I asked.

"Six hours," Randy answered.

I stared at him. Randy was obviously fuming. Either he was being overly dramatic, or something else was up.

"What else is going on?" I asked.

Randy paused for so long, I wasn't sure he would answer me, then he finally said, "I was talking to McMahon on my cell phone. He wants to talk to both of us as soon as we get to the arena."

I felt the sting of panic in my stomach, but I stifled it, asking calmly, "What does he want to see us for?"

Randy explained morosely, "McMahon wanted to know why both you and I were still at the hotel. I told him that we fell asleep in my truck waiting for the hotel to be cleared."

"Okay, so what's the problem?" I asked.

Randy went on, saying, "He told me that he asked for a list of wrestlers staying at the hotel in case there were any damages caused by the fire. He noticed that you weren't on the list because you didn't check into a room. He looked back at his files for the past couple of months and he realized you've only checked in once."

The realization hit me like a brick wall as I asked, "Does he know I've been staying with you?"

"I don't know. I would assume so because he wants to see us both," Randy said.

I considered our options, then I stated, "We'll just take responsibility. If he asks, we'll admit the truth. It's all we can do."

"Do you realize what this would do to our fucking careers? It's over, John," Randy stated.

"We can't worry about that until it happens," I said, trying to be hopeful.

Randy spat angrily, "We're male professional wrestlers, John! If word gets out that we're fucking each other, the media will have a field day! Not to mention our friends and family will be completely humiliated! This will hurt us and everyone around us!"

I shook my head, saying, "You're thinking too far into this. We don't know if McMahon knows or not. Besides, we've already started this and our enemies know what we're doing, so even if it doesn't come out now, it will come out at some point, and I'm willing to make that sacrifice."

"What do you mean, 'our enemies'?" Randy countered.

I sighed and explained, "I met Shadow last night. He revealed himself to me."

Randy slammed on the brakes and I lurched forward, grabbing the dashboard for support. We came to a halt in the middle of the abandoned road, and Randy gave me his Viper's stare as he asked darkly, "Who the fuck is he?"

"CM Punk," I answered.

Randy opened his door and flew out of the car before I had time to react. I got out and followed after him as he stormed into a nearby cornfield. I shouted after him, "Where are you going?"

He stopped a short way into the field, and the corn was tall enough and thick enough to block us from being seen by anyone on the road.

 _Not that anyone would probably be coming._

Randy was seething as he yelled at me, "How could you keep that from me? Why didn't you tell me as soon as you came to my room last night?"

"You were drunk. I didn't know if you would even remember talking to me," I explained.

Randy looked away, and I could see he was drifting to that place in his mind where I could never go. I tried to bring him back to me, saying, "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you. You have no idea how much I wanted to."

He was still somewhere else as Randy started venting aloud, "I had him...I fucking had him..."

"What are you thinking about?" I asked him.

Randy looked up at me like he had just realized I was there. He shouted angrily, "He saw us together from the beginning! I had him and I could've broken his neck right there, but you didn't want me to!"

"Are you saying that this is my fault?" I asked, feeling anger of my own rising up.

Randy's intensity lessened a bit, but he was still furious as he stated, "No, it's not your fault. I'm saying that I could have stopped him a long time ago, and after all the shit he's done to you..."

He trailed off. I tried to be more calm as I explained, "Look, we'll deal with him and your homicidal tendencies later. Right now we'll just worry about McMahon."

"What have I done?" Randy asked aloud.

He looked at me with a pleading expression, his eyes filling with tears. I had never seen such desperation in a man's eyes before.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Randy's voice caught as he answered, "I wanted you so badly, I didn't even stop to think of how much damage it would do."

"Stop. Just stop, alright? I made the choice to want you back, and the decision has already been made. There's nothing we can do to stop it now," I explained.

Randy started walking past me back to the truck, saying, "We can't do this anymore. I'm putting you in danger."

"You think our relationship is all that this is about?" I called after him.

Randy stopped and turned to face me, shouting, "It makes us weak! Punk and Wade and Nexus and probably others can use it to hurt us, John!"

He turned to leave again, but I countered angrily, "I already knew that, but it didn't ever make me want to stop being with you!"

Randy was still walking away. I shouted spitefully, "I guess Punk was right about us! Our relationship is easy to break up!"

He finally stopped.

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

I turned my head to one side to see John, but I didn't fully turn back to face him. It was easy to read from his expression that he was directly quoting Punk. I could always tell when John was lying or making something up to get my attention, but this time, he wasn't.

 _That fucking Punk was going to get his skull kicked in for saying that to my John._

I slowly turned around to face John fully. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, and his blue eyes were desperately searching me for some sign that I was listening to him.

 _I hated those fucking baby blue puppy dog eyes. I couldn't say no to them._

Walking slowly back to John, I asked quietly, "What do you want me to do?"

The question was meant for him to give me an answer about what we should do with Punk, but John gave me a pleasant surprise as he confessed, "I want you to stay with me! I want you to stare at me possessively! I want you to tell me all the dirty things you can think of to do to me! I want you to kiss me and touch me and tease me and undress me and fuck me and suck me and rub me and lick me and cut me and squeeze me and blow me and restrain me and punish me until I can't fucking take it anymore, and then I want you to do it again!"

 _His words turned me on so hard, my eyes wanted to roll back in their sockets._

I teased him by betraying no emotion, save for a wry smile as I asked, "Well, why didn't you just say so?"

John blinked with surprise, and I stole the moment to crash into him.

I knocked him to the ground and mashed my lips against his. I could still taste the peach flavored alcohol from the night before on his tongue, which only made me want to drink him down.

We were in mid-kiss when I pulled away suddenly to take off my shirt. John smiled at me, enjoying the game of tease. I slowly pulled my shirt over my head and let it fall away. John sat up and painted my chest and abs with deep, suckling kisses. I pushed my hands down the back of his pants and squeezed his ass to let him know that I liked what he was doing. His bubble butt felt soft in my hands.

 _I couldn't wait to fuck it._

John lifted his head and looked at me with his sky colored eyes as he said, "Hit me. Hit me hard."

I half-smiled and shoved him back onto the ground, then I opened my hand and gave him a hard slap across the chest.

John cried out with pleasure. I watched his chest redden, and he groaned as the throbbing pain surged through him. Watching him made me feel a rush of eroticism, and I couldn't help myself.

I opened John's pants and pulled them off while he was still enjoying the pain in his chest. I could see his erection building, and I knew I could inspire it.

I swallowed his cock and started sucking it like it was venom out of a snakebite. John moaned rhythmically with each suction and kicked the ground with his shoes, trying to contain the intensity building inside of him.

My mind raced with thoughts of what I wanted to do to him. I could keep sucking and watch him come so I could taste his salty seed, or I could let him go and make him watch anxiously while I satisfied myself, then I could come back and satisfy him.

John let out a long moan, and I knew he was getting close to the brink.

 _I wasn't willing to let him get off just yet._

I let go of him and came back up, pinning John's arms down and holding my left hand over his mouth while I pressed my lips to the nipples of his reddened chest and sucked on them, tempting the pain to start throbbing again. John's cries of pleasure were stifled by my hand and he fought under my restraint, and I knew he was loving every moment of it.

A feeling rose from deep within me. Something that I had never known before until John. It was a feeling that threatened to overwhelm me when I spent time in the ring with John in the past. A longing for him. A need for him. A _desperation_ for him.

I suddenly released him and came up to stare into his eyes. I let my lips hover over his, and we both panted as we lay in the dirt like wild animals.

I had no protection with me. This was unplanned. I didn't know how to say it out loud, but I didn't have to. John nodded slightly like he understood, then he blinked and his eyes communicated a response.

 _Fuck me anyway, Randy. I want you to._

I blinked and focused on him more strongly to make sure I was getting the right message. He nodded, and I could barely breathe.

John watched me as I took my right hand out of the dirt and spit into it. I tried to make it thick so I could slide in easier. My cock was so stiff, it was painful for me to grab it and rub it down. I looked down to make sure it was enough, finding it erotic to see my crotch smeared with spit and a little bit of dirt, then I looked back up at John.

He was ready for me. I took hold of myself, leaned in, and whispered to John, "Tell me if it hurts too much."

I sunk into him slow. I watched his expressions for signs that it was too much. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, letting out sounds of mixed aggravation and euphoria as I sank in deeper. It felt warm and closed off at the same time, like I was penetrating something that would only allow me access if I were already mostly inside. I sank a little deeper, and John shuddered slightly, letting me know that I had gone far enough.

I let go of myself and put the same hand on John's cheek, smearing him with dirt and spit and the scent of my cock. He smiled and I started thrusting in slow, deliberate motions. I had to block out some of what I was feeling so I could hold on long enough to make John come with me, but it was difficult this time.

 _This time, I was completely naked inside of John._

John groaned as I started to thrust faster. He brought his feet up and pinned his shoes against my hips, digging the soles into my sides each time I moved forward. It was painful, which inspired me to pick up speed as well as roughness.

His groans became grateful outcries as John gripped my shoulders and dug his fingernails into the tattoos there. I couldn't remember him reacting so intensely before. It made me grin broadly, and I went faster.

John suddenly looked up at me and stated boldly, "You gave up the title for me. Say it!"

 _It was true, I did give up the Championship for him, but I wasn't ready to tell him that. I wanted to tease him with it first._

"Say it!" he shouted at me again, but I wouldn't comply.

John sat up and shoved me sideways. I normally would've shoved back, but I was still inside of him, so I let him roll me over on my back so that he was straddling me on top, then he pinned my arms down and took over thrusting.

Up and down, up and down he moved. I looked down at John's swollen cock and I couldn't hold it anymore.

"Say it!" John shouted once more, and I came so hard, I couldn't speak even if I wanted to.

John rolled off of me and came into the dirt. I was a little disappointed that the dirt got him this time. He lay down beside me and we stayed in silence for a while, then I looked over at John and said, "I gave up the title for you."

He smiled like he already knew but he was glad to hear me say it, then John asked sarcastically, "Shouldn't we be somewhere?"

"Oh, fuck," I suddenly remembered.


	21. Chapter 21

21:

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

We got to the arena on time. As for the kind of driving it took to get there? I have no regrets.

McMahon had John and I take a seat first, then he leaned against the edge of the desk that had been put into the room for him and loudly cleared his throat. I had a whole set of answers for any question that he asked, no matter how ridiculous:

 _McMahon: "Are you two in a relationship?"_

 _Me: "Fuck no!"_

 _McMahon: "You you two sleeping together?"_

 _Me: "I have a snoring problem, so my doctor recommended that I sleep alone."_

 _McMahon: "Have you two been sharing a room together?"_

 _Me: "We aren't sharing a room. We just take turns being in it."_

 _McMahon: "Are you gay, Mr. Orton?"_

 _Me: "If you mean the happy kind, then yeah, I'm gay. I'm over-fucking-joyed."_

Oh yeah, I was ready for anything. McMahon opened his mouth and I was already prepared to answer when he asked point blank, "What the hell are you two doing?"

"I...wait, what?" I asked out loud.

McMahon looked at me curiously, then Cena spoke up with, "Look, I think we all know what's really going on here, and I'm not going to waste anymore time. Mr. McMahon, I would like to resign my responsibilities as a member of the WWE."

 _WHAT THE FUCK?!_

:-:

 **- _Inside Cena's Head_ -**

I knew that Randy was going to react badly. He shot up in his chair and shouted, "No fucking way! You're not walking out because of this!"

McMahon put up a hand to calm Randy down, saying, "Now, wait a minute. I think we're all getting a bit hasty here."

I shook my head, replying, "This is what I want to do. If it's going to go down like this, then fine, I'll leave before anyone has a chance to throw me out."

Randy clenched his fists and turned to McMahon, arguing, "This is completely unfair! I'm making sure that Cena is safe from Wade and his little Nexus bitches and this is the thanks I get?"

McMahon furrowed his brow in confusion, then he explained, "Look, I don't like what Wade's doing around here, and frankly, if you're keeping Cena out of harm's way, Randy, then more power to you, but all I want to know is: why is Randy paying for one person to stay in his hotel room if you two are rooming together?"

Randy's mouth dropped open with shock. I was also surprised, but I managed to spit out, "That's it? That's all you wanted to know?"

Shrugging, McMahon replied, "Well, yeah. I don't care if you two are sharing a room, but if the hotels find out you're only paying for one person at a time, they'll ban us across the country, and that would be very bad for business."

I didn't know what to say. I was fully expecting an onslaught of questions, but the reality was that McMahon was just worried about undercharges. I quickly gathered myself and said, "Well, I guess I withdraw my resignation, and Randy and I will be sure to charge for two people next time."

"You're damn right, you will, and as for the resignation, Cena, I wouldn't have approved it anyway," McMahon said.

"Why not?" I asked, confused.

McMahon looked at both Randy and I as he explained, "I don't know what Wade is capable of at this point, especially after losing the Championship. I think it's certainly the best idea for you two to be here and looking out for each other. At least I know you're alive if you're still on the roster."

I wasn't sure if that last part was just a point or a warning from McMahon that we should watch our backs. Either way, I wasn't going to take any chances.

McMahon signaled for us to leave, and Randy and I walked out the door as quickly as possible. Once we were in the hallway, I turned to Randy and asked, "Did that really just happen?"

"I'm not so sure myself," he said blankly.

"Well, I guess we're good, then," I replied.

Randy suddenly grabbed me by the head and pinned me hard against the wall. He brought his lips close to mine, teasing the air between us but not quite going in for the kiss. He whispered to me in an almost threatening voice, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

It was obvious in his blue-green eyes that he was furious with me for attempting to resign. I took his wrists and pried his hands off of me, countering angrily, "I didn't do it because of you. I did it for our family and friends, the people who would be affected by our decision, remember?"

Randy blinked and took a step back, feeling the words he had said to me earlier being thrown back into his face. He said thickly, "John, I didn't mean it like that when I said-"

Someone came into the hallway and Randy quickly moved away from me. It was a crew member and he nodded at us as he passed. I took the opportunity and turned to walk away, telling Randy, "We'll talk about this later."

He knew he couldn't stop me with the crew member just a few feet away. I didn't mean to leave Randy hanging, but I had some bigger issues to look into, like what happened to Nexus after Survivor Series. Besides, I wanted him to stew for a while with the idea that I was angry with him.

 _I didn't want him to know that the sex immediately after our fight was so fucking fantastic, I couldn't care less what we were arguing about._

:-:

 _ **-**_ _ **Inside Randy's Head**_ _ **-**_

"Come on, fella! Ya ain't even tryin'!" Sheamus yelled at me.

We were in the ring, practicing before the arena filled up with fans for Monday Night RAW. Sheamus and I weren't scheduled to fight each other, but it made for good practice runs when our opponents were busy lacing their boots or picking their nose or whatever else the fuck people do backstage.

 _Fuck. I liked the sound of that. I really want to find Cena._

"Oi!" Sheamus called me to attention again, ripping me away from my thoughts of Cena.

 _That made me really angry._

I took a swing at him, and he pulled back to miss it, so I tried to leg-sweep him, and when he countered, I turned it into a spine-buster.

"Aw, fuck-it-all!" Sheamus yelled, grabbing the back of his head in pain.

I was already back on my feet. I smiled down at him arrogantly and reached out to help him up. Sheamus muttered an Irish curse at me as he took my hand. Once he was on his feet, he rubbed the back of his neck, mentioning, "Oi, Randy, yer one helluva quick fighter."

I nodded a thank you, and we started to take our positions again, but I heard the voice of CM Punk yell down to us from the ramp, "Hey, Randy!"

Looking up to see Punk coming toward me, I wasn't focused when Sheamus took advantage of the distraction and rushed me. I brought my left arm up and overextended my shoulder, angling my entire body so that Sheamus missed me by inches and went crashing into the turnbuckles.

My body continued to move with my shoulder as I rolled through the air and glided down to the mat, then I rolled out of the ring before Sheamus could try to counter me again.

 _One of the advantages of having hypermobility in my shoulders was that it made it easier to get out of the way._

Sheamus pulled himself out of the turnbuckles and cursed me again. I looked back at Punk, who had made it down to me, and I realized he was being followed by Tyson Kidd. I was confused until I saw Kidd roll into the ring and ask Sheamus for some practice runs.

 _Punk was making a setup so that he and I could talk alone._

With a light, almost friendly smile, Punk motioned to some arena chairs nearby and said, "Why don't we chat?"

I leaned in and said in a low tone, "We can take this backstage. I don't want anyone hearing us."

Punk laughed loud enough for Kidd and Sheamus to stop and stare at him. He waved them away and told me in a similar low tone, "You think I would take my chances being alone with you? I would rather keep this more affable, if you don't mind."

I watched him cautiously as Punk led me to our seats. I was not only wary of him, but of his words. I didn't know what affable meant, and I knew that Punk was aware of that. Jericho was another wrestler that seemed to enjoy using words that I couldn't understand. Punk had that same look on his face that Jericho did when I couldn't quite catch what he was saying: they thought I was just a lug head athlete with a nice body but no education.

 _I hate it when people think I'm stupid because I don't know always know what they're saying. Cena doesn't do that to me. I know he's damn smart, but he doesn't throw it back in my face like the other assholes. That's one of the things I love about Cena. He doesn't treat me like a lug head. God, I really want to see him right now._

"Excuse me? Hey, hey!" Punk snapped his fingers in front of my face.

I came back to reality and glared at him. Punk looked me over questionably and said, "Thought I'd lost you for a second, there. I was afraid you were having a stroke or something."

I had no idea I was so lost in thought. Punk had an expression on his face that was similar to Cena's when he talked about that faraway look in my eyes, but where Cena's expression was full of awe and a sense of curiosity as to where I went off to, Punk just looked like he thought I was completely pathetic.

"What do you want, Punk?" I stated boldly.

He sighed and answered easily, "I'm assuming you've heard I'm the hooded attacker that's been bashing your boy lately, but I'm done with all that now. I want to make amends, and I know you're just the man to talk to!"

 _It disgusted me how chipper he sounded. Like we were talking about the fucking weather._

I leaned into Punk and stated, "You better give me a good reason why I shouldn't break your neck."

Punk shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but I couldn't tell if he were just mocking me or not. He went on, explaining more deliberately, "I have a request for you. If you can fulfill it, I'll do nothing to harm your little Johnny."

I glanced at Sheamus and Kidd. They were still busy in the ring, not paying attention to us. I smiled and took Punk's hand, squeezing his pinky finger and twisting it to the point where it was about to break.

Punk yelped in surprise, and Sheamus and Kidd stopped to look at us again. I still had the smile on my face, so Punk waved at them like everything was alright, and Sheamus and Kidd went back to fighting. Punk looked at me with watery, pain filled eyes and I whispered to him, "You will _never_ call him Johnny again. Only his close friends and family call him that. You don't have that privilege."

He nodded that he understood. I let go of his pinky, feeling some disappointment that I couldn't have just broken the damn thing off. Punk cradled his hand against him, saying quietly, "I underestimated your amount of...aggression, Randy."

I reached my arm around his chair and Punk's entire body tensed up. I kept the theatrics up with a grin and a relaxed attitude as I explained, "You know, Wade made that same mistake. It seems that no one who tries to mess with Cena understands how truly desperate I am to make sure that he stays happy."

"Desperate?" Punk asked curiously.

I leaned in closer to him to make him more uncomfortable and continued, "I've been in love with John for almost a decade. I was almost sure from day one that he would never return my feelings for him, but I wanted to try. Every day, I hoped that he would notice me. I talked with him, I joked with him, I fought with him in the ring, I called him from home, but never once did he realize what I felt inside. Every day I waited, and every day that went by that kept me away from John, well, those feelings turned into rage."

"Rage?" Punk repeated.

I nodded my head slowly and went on, "Rage. Just pure, unrelenting rage boiling inside of me. I could barely stand it sometimes, wanting so badly just to go up to Cena and tell him how I felt, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't disrupt him like that. Soon, it became too much to just watch him from afar. I wanted all of him, all the time, and for each day I couldn't have him, the rage boiled higher, and higher, and higher..."

"But he did return your affections," Punk pointed out, smiling uneasily.

I gave him a hard punch on the arm, making him flinch, then I replied in a light tone, "Yes, exactly, he did!"

Returning to my usual low tone, I stated, "But as soon as he did, Wade started fucking things up."

Punk swallowed hard and said, "Well, yeah, but Wade's not around anymore, and you've got Cena, so there's no need for the rage, right?" 

I closed my eyes and sighed heavily to give Punk more reason to be afraid, then I opened my eyes again and replied calmly, "That's what I thought. Being with Cena should've destroyed the rage, but it didn't. You see, when I'm around Cena, the rage is gone. I don't feel it at all. But when he's upset, or hurt, or damaged by someone, the rage just overtakes me and I can't control myself, and then I do really, really bad things."

Snorting a laugh, Punk asked shortly, "Like what? Are you going to strangle me?"

I turned my head to one side and returned with a question of my own, "Did Wade ever tell you about how I did that to him?"

Punk's arrogance disappeared and he stared at me as I went on, saying truthfully, "If John had not been there to make me stop, who knows what I would have done."

I could see from Punk's expression that Wade had told him the story. He still seemed unconvinced, saying, "You wouldn't kill me. You'd get caught."

With a slight smile, I replied, "It's not about a crime scene. What I'm saying is: when it comes to _my_ John, there's no telling what I would do for him."

Punk looked straight into my eyes. He could see that I was telling the truth. He looked away and tried to gather himself, saying, "Look, I will stay away from Cena, and I will keep Nexus away from him if you will do one thing for me."

"Oh, and what's that?" I asked darkly.

"All you have to do is intimidate Wade until he leaves on his own," Punk said.

 _What? That's it? I didn't believe it._

"Why do you need me to get rid of Wade? Why not get him to leave yourself?" I asked.

Punk frowned a little, replying, "I was hoping you'd jump at the chance. The problem for me is that he doesn't see me as much of a threat. Wade's only fear is you, Randy. Don't ask me why, but that's the truth."

I leaned back and considered what Punk was asking of me. He became frustrated that I didn't answer right away, so he stood up and stated, "What, you want some additional incentive? I happen to know that Wade has pictures of Cena in his car that he uses for his...fun time."

I was up and in Punk's face faster than he could blink. He put his hands up to stop me and said quickly, "Wait, wait, wait, I have a spare key, and I'll give it to you to get the pictures out. Wade is staying at the hotel on 47th, and you should try to go after 10 because he'll be asleep for sure with how much he's been drinking today."

He pulled the key from his pocket and handed it to me. I yanked it away from him and stashed it in the back pocket of my jeans, but I didn't stand down. Punk added awkwardly, "Of course, if you continue to intimidate Wade, I'll reward you by giving you more information about what Wade has on Cena, and I know everything he's said about Cena, too. That is, if you really want to hear it."

 _I wanted to know everything, no matter how much it enraged me, but I wasn't about to let Punk know that._

Pretending to consider his offer, I replied dryly, "I guess I'll see what I can come up with, but you better come up with even better, or the deal's off."

"Absolutely," Punk nodded in agreement.

Then I turned on my heel and walked calmly away, betraying nothing as I left Punk behind.

:-:

"Hey, John, love what you did with the chair to Nexus last night," Daniel Bryan said from behind me.

I turned around to face him and smiled broadly. We were waiting in the makeshift lunchroom of the arena for more food, which the crewman were set to bring in any minute. I mentioned quietly, "I was hoping someone would appreciate that."

Bryan laughed and replied, "Hey, I've was a part of Nexus for like, ten seconds, and I had to try to beat those guys during NXT, and I can tell you, I appreciate it!"

I laughed as well, then an idea came to mind. I asked Bryan, "What was it like? Before Nexus became a group, I mean."

Bryan opened his mouth to answer me, but Randy came barreling into the lunchroom at that moment and nearly ran right into me, stating boldly, "We need to talk now."

"Hey, I'm talking to him, if you don't mind," Bryan countered angrily.

Randy turned to Bryan and glared at him so harshly, I was surprised Bryan didn't drop dead on the spot.

I turned to Bryan and asked, "What were you saying? I really want to hear it."

Bryan opened his mouth to reply, but Randy cut him off again, focusing on me as he demanded, "Now, John!"

Bryan tried to step between us, shouting at Randy, "You can't just interrupt-"

Without warning, Randy bitch slapped Daniel Bryan across the face and said dryly, "Stop it."

"Ow! What the fuck, man!" Bryan held his reddened cheek, then he tried to come after Randy.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" I came between the two and put my hands out to stop them.

I took Randy by the wrist and started leading him away, calling back to Bryan before we left, "I'm sorry! We'll talk later!"

I pulled Randy out into the hallway, then I let go of his wrist and turned around to face him. He was still moving and he collided with me, taking me by the shoulders and pushing me backwards through the door to an empty room. He let go of me and turned to lock the door. I argued with him angrily, "What the hell was that back there? You didn't need to slap him!"

Randy turned back to face me and leaned against the door with folded arms, saying with his dry sense of humor, "I was jealous. That bitch was totally hitting on you."

"Stop it, alright? It's not funny! Bryan was going to tell me something useful about Nexus," I said.

Randy's gaze lowered as he realized that he had interrupted at the worst possible time. He looked back up at me again and said, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you that I talked to Punk."

"What did he say?" I asked curiously, stepping closer to Randy.

He sat up straight and started moving toward me as he answered, "He says he'll leave you alone and keep Nexus away from you if I do my best to scare Wade off."

"What? That's it?" I asked, confused.

Randy broke his gaze from me again, and I knew he wasn't telling me something. I asked a more pointed question, "What else did he say?"

He went around my question, saying simply, "If I do what he wants, you've got nothing to worry about."

"Randy, what else did he say?" I asked again.

We were inches from each other now. Randy dropped his folded arms and shook his head, replying, "All I want is to make this right for you. He gave me that chance, and I'm taking it."

"That can't possibly be all he wants, it's too easy," I argued.

"It's all we've got for now. We should just go with it," Randy persuaded me.

I let out a heavy sigh. Randy was right, we should just go with it until we knew for sure what was going on. Randy looked down at me and asked, "Could I ask you something?"

"What?" I replied.

"Can I kiss you now, or are you still mad at me?" he asked with a mock pleading face.

I let out a short laugh and asked, "What is wrong with you? Are you always so randy, Randy?"

He squinted one eye in disgust and stated, "Did you just use my name as a sexual pun?"

I laughed out loud and Randy grabbed onto me, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss. It was harder to kiss him when he was standing at his full height, which was several inches taller than me, so I pulled away and said, "Damn, I can't reach you!"

So I proceeded to jump on him.

Randy stumbled backwards and we both landed in a pile of folded chairs. I laughed so hard, I was almost in tears. Randy chuckled himself, but I could tell he wasn't too happy with me. I joked to lift his spirits, "What the hell? You were supposed to catch me and hold me up!"

Scoffing, Randy replied with a twinge of frustration in his voice, "You caught me off-guard."

My cell phone started to ring in my pocket. I pulled it out without looking at the person calling and told Randy before I answered it, "Remind me never to ask you to carry me over the threshold!"

Randy clenched his jaw and looked away. I could tell he was totally annoyed by my teasing. I put the phone to my ear and asked, "Hello?" 

"...John?" came a quiet voice with a slight accent.

 _I didn't have to check the person calling. I knew that it was Justin Gabriel._

Assuming he was calling on behalf of Nexus, I asked darkly, "What do you want?"

Randy turned to face me and went on full alert. I waited for Gabriel to answer me, but there was an odd noise coming from the other end.

 _Was that...crying?_

"...John, I need your help," Gabriel pleaded, his voice sounding desperate.


	22. Chapter 22

22:

I breathed a heavy sigh into the phone. Randy leaned in and listened intently as I told Gabriel angrily, "Look, this isn't funny, alright? No more games and no more-"

"Wade raped me," Gabriel interrupted, shocking me silent.

Randy sat back and I knew that he had heard Gabriel. I closed my eyes and tried to think fast. If Gabriel were just messing with me, this was a big accusation to make. I had no reason to believe him, but some part of me still wanted to help.

I opened my eyes again and said calmly, "Alright, just tell me where you are."

Gabriel struggled to tell me, "Uh...I think it's a fuel station...I see a sign for Baker and 10th."

"Alright, you're not far from the arena. We're going to come and pick you up and take you to a safe place," I explained.

Gabriel panicked, replying, "We? No, no, I don't want anyone else to know!"

I countered softly, "Randy Orton is my best friend. He won't tell anyone about what's going on, and I need him to help me find you."

Gabriel calmed down and said, "I guess that would be alright."

I was surprised that he was so willing to allow Randy to come along, but ignored it and replied, "Just stay where you are. We'll be right there."

:-:

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

John sat forward in my truck, fidgeting like a kid on candy and caffeine as we made our way to Gabriel. I finally asked after a long silence, "Do you seriously think this is not a setup?"

Sighing through his nose, John answered, "I have no idea. I completely doubt it at this point, though."

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

John turned to me and answered quietly, "If Wade wanted to hurt me, he wouldn't have let you come along."

I frowned and mentioned, "You know, it sounds like everyone thinks I'm some kind of a superhero around Wade, like he can't touch me."

"Excuse me, Captain Amazement, but I have yet to see Wade even try to break you down," John stated sarcastically.

"I'm just saying, I don't think he's so scared of me like everyone thinks," I said.

John shook his head, so I gave him a questioning look. He explained, "You have no clue how much power you have over Wade. He pretends to hate you, but he cowers whenever you're around. You made him cry, for fuck's sake!"

I didn't respond. I was still not so sure that I was untouchable to Wade. John gave me a hard look and asked, "Are you seriously not aware of how much Wade fears you?"

Shrugging, I replied, "I just don't get it. I beat on him once in a while when he gets out of line, but I've never done a thing to make him fear me."

John's mouth dropped open in shock and he stated, "You choked him with your own belt! You could have killed him if I hadn't stopped you!"

"That was just a warning," I said dryly, but John didn't laugh.

 _I hated when he didn't laugh at my jokes. His laugh made me feel good inside._

I saw the gas station coming up and I prepared to pull into it as John argued with me, "You're a pretty scary person when people get on your bad side."

"Well then, maybe they shouldn't do stupid things and piss me off," I replied.

I couldn't see Gabriel, so I pulled around to the back. John looked at me and said, "I'm worried about your temper. We're going to talk about it very soon."

I rolled my eyes and John gave me another hard look. His eyes went soft when I turned the corner and we both saw a man in a hoodie lying on his side against the wall. I pulled up to him and stopped, looking out to make sure it was Gabriel.

 _The only recognizable part of his face was his beard. Everything else was covered in blood._

John jumped out of the truck and rushed to Gabriel's side. I stayed where I was, unsure if what I was seeing was real. Gabriel's right eye was cut and swollen shut, and his left eye was only halfway open. His face was swollen and bloody, and any other damage was hidden under his hoodie, but he could barely move, which made me think that what I could see was nothing compared to the unseen.

 _The thought crossed my mind that there were so many times where this could have been John._

It made me feel sick, so I pushed the thought away and tried to stay calm. I glanced around to see if Nexus or Wade was going to show up at any second, but there was no one around. If this were some plot to get back at John, Gabriel had made a huge sacrifice to be the fall guy. I still had my doubts, so I stayed on alert as John spoke softly to Gabriel, then helped him to his feet and led him back to the truck.

I opened the door to let them in, and John helped Gabriel into the passenger's seat. Groaning in pain, Gabriel could barely sit down. John glanced at me with such a sad look in his eyes, I had to look away so it wouldn't overwhelm me.

"We're going to take you to a motel outside of town. I'll check in under my name so Wade won't know you're staying there," John explained to Gabriel.

Gabriel nodded and John closed the door, hopping into the back of the truck so that I could pull away. Gabriel leaned to one side and breathed awkwardly while I tried to keep my driving steady. It was hard not to go fast but I knew that John would yell at me if I did, and I couldn't bear to see those sky blue eyes being so sad again.

We drove for a while in silence. I kept checking John in my rear-view mirror. He kept closing his eyes and hanging his head like he was in deep thought, and I was anxious to know what was going on inside of his head.

"I know about you and John," Gabriel spoke, and I felt a mix of anger and surprise.

Giving nothing away, I asked shortly, "What do you think you know?"

Letting out a raspy sigh, Gabriel answered, "I know that John loves you. I've seen it; the way he looks at you."

"Hmm," I said, still giving nothing away.

"I was not for sure, but Wade told me just before he..." Gabriel trailed off.

I glanced back at John. He was still deep in thought and didn't seem to be able to hear us. I asked Gabriel a heated question, "Did Wade do this to you because of John?"

Gabriel let out a broken chuckle. I pressed my brows together and looked at him coldly. He explained his reaction with a surprising revelation, "Everything that Wade does is because of John."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, confused.

Gabriel took his time to gather a deep breath before he answered, "John is the face of the company. He is the shining star that people come to see. Wade knows this of John, and he wants what John has. He does not want to just take it away from John. He wants to destroy all that makes John what he is. He wants to make the star stop shining. Wade will not stop until John is his slave in all ways. Wade thinks of nothing else."

I knew that what he was telling me was true. The rage started to rise in me, but I pushed it back down and asked Gabriel, "Why take it out on you?"

Gabriel became quiet and stared out the window. I thought I would get nothing else from him, but then he answered quietly, "I am a gay man. I would listen to Wade's fantasies of John and I would not be angry."

I was caught by surprise. I barely knew Gabriel and he was telling me something very personal about himself. He went on, explaining, "Wade came to my room many times to tell me his desires for John. I would listen and wonder why Wade was so obsessed. I did not like a lot of what he said. I felt he wanted to hurt John, not make love to him."

The rage threatened to boil up again, but I stifled it and let Gabriel continue, "Wade came to my room one night very drunk and bleeding. I cleaned his wound, and he told me that he tried to have sex with John, but John ran away from him. I was worried that Wade had done something very bad, and I told him I would have to tell someone. Wade showed me affections, and told me he wanted to be together with me. He said that he would not try to have sex with John again. I believed him."

I wasn't sure if Gabriel would continue, but he did, choosing his words carefully as he said, "We spent the night together. Wade was very aggressive. He called me John and I was very angry. He promised he would never say it again. He bruised me and he bit my arm. I did not know what he was doing. He said later that he was drunk and he didn't mean to be too strong. He was better the next time, and he did not talk about John."

"CM Punk was helping us against John. We staged things to make it look like we were to punish Punk, but it was to confuse John. We were told to be violent to John as much as possible. Wade told us that John was talking to Mr. McMahon and trying to end our contracts. He told us stories to make us hate John. Punk brought us things that we thought were proof of Wade's stories. I believed the stories at first, but I watched John, and he did nothing to show me that he meant us wrong."

Gabriel cleared his throat and took on a darker tone as he went on, "Wade was good to me for many weeks. He thought that he was winning against John. He was very afraid of you, but he thought that his control of John would stop you. You kept fighting him, and he became very angry. Wade could not stand that John was with you. He told me that he would make you have sex with John in front of him to punish you both for fighting him. His fantasies became dark and twisted. He talked of John too much. I told him to stop. Then he came to my room one night and he was sobbing. He told me he had tried to get you to have sex with John in front of him, but you figured out what Wade was doing and you embarrassed him. I thought that Wade was sad, but his tears were of fury. He grabbed me and he was violent with me again. I did not believe he was raping me because I did not stop him."

I listened intently as Gabriel finished with, "I told Wade I would never be with him anymore. He said he didn't care and then he went to England and did not call me. When he returned, he was happy again and he believed Survivor Series would be his moment. He thought he would embarrass you and John. When he lost and was driven away by John and the others, he was so angry, he beat all of Nexus until they left, then he came to me. He said he was so upset and he cried. I stayed with him and I believed he would see that he cannot stop John. He stopped crying and I thought he was better. I was leaving to get us breakfast when he attacked me for no reason. He covered my face and he would not stop calling me John. I tried to leave but he gave me drugs. He did things to me I will never speak of. Then he beat me and left me."

We were both silent for over a minute, then I asked, "Do you think he will come after John?"

"Yes, I am certain he will. Wade is obsessed with John Cena. He plans to make John suffer very much, but Wade fears what you will do to him, so he does not want anything to be obvious."

The rage boiled inside again. I asked boldly, "What do I have to do to stop Wade?"

Gabriel answered quietly, "You are all that Wade is afraid of, Randy Orton. There is much you can do to stop him."

"Why does Wade fear me?" I asked seriously.

Slowly taking in another breath, Gabriel answered, "Wade has seen how you care for John. Wade knows that you would take his life to spare John. Wade does not understand why you are so connected to John. He does not understand love, and you do. That is why you are a danger to him."

I still didn't completely understand, but what Gabriel had told me was enough information to help me against Wade for a long, long time.

:-:

I could hear Randy and Gabriel talking from inside the truck, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I was so angry with Wade, all I could think about was how much I wanted to kick the shit out of him. It wasn't just what he did to Gabriel, but everything that Wade did that made me so angry.

 _Why did he have to be such an asshole?_

Randy pulled into the motel and I got out to check Gabriel in. I chose a room that was away from the others, and Randy parked out of view so we could help Gabriel into his room.

Gabriel took a shower while I sat in the room and waited and Randy went out to buy him a change of clothes.

Randy was silent while I called McMahon and told him that Gabriel had a family emergency and would be out for a few days.

Gabriel groaned while I stitched up his right eye.

Randy sat quietly while I sorted out Gabriel's transportation plans and made sure he would be completely safe.

Then we left Gabriel at the motel, and both Randy and I were silent on the drive to the arena.

I didn't know what to say or what to do. We entered the hallway and walked toward the locker rooms without a word. I was caught by surprise when Randy suddenly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into an empty room. He closed the door and pushed me up against it, taking my head in his hands and pushing his forehead against mine as he broke the silence with, "I'm so afraid, John."

I was caught by surprise. I asked him quietly, "What are you afraid of?"

He closed his eyes and drifted away for a moment, then he opened his eyes and stared down at me, saying thickly, "I have to stop Wade. I can't let him go on like this. He'll come for you, and I can't let him do that."

The sound of the RAW theme song echoed through the hallways. Randy whispered to me, "We're going to be late," and started to pull away.

I felt a sudden wave of panic. I clutched his shirt and pulled him into me, saying desperately, "No, don't let me go, don't let me go!"

I started kissing him frantically. Randy returned my kisses with intensity, pinning me against the wall and making my shirt ride up as he forced his tongue into my mouth and tasted me like an exotic drink. I wanted Randy, and I wanted him bad. I had never wanted anything more in all my life.

He pulled his tongue out and started to break away from me. The panic threatened to overwhelm me, but I didn't grab him again. I locked eyes with him in despair, feeling so many needs at once that could not be satisfied. I could see in Randy's expression that he wanted nothing more than to give me everything I wanted, but we had a job to do, and we had our places to be, and our people to fight.

Randy reached for me, and I shuddered with anticipation, but he moved past me and grabbed the door handle, and with a sense of complete defeat, I moved aside so we could leave.

Before he returned to the hallway, Randy looked back at me and said, "Three more hours and you're all mine."

"I don't think I can wait that long. It feels like eternity," I replied morosely.

Randy leaned into me and whispered, "Just don't think about it. Think about how good it feels that you're back to wrestling again."

I had totally forgotten that this would be my first night officially back in action since being released from Nexus. I should have been overjoyed, but I couldn't feel much of anything at the moment.

 _Randy had become like a drug to me. I had to take him to feel high._


	23. Chapter 23

23:

I fought the Miz in a non-title match. It was the first fight I'd had since Wade told me I had to stop wrestling to be his official assistant. I was a little harder on Miz than I should've been, but I was just too damn excited to hold back.

The crowd was awesome. They cheered me all the way through the match. After I won, I looked out at all of the faces and smiled with astonishment.

 _These people still loved me. Everything had been so fucked up the past couple of months, but they still loved me._

I bounded my way back up the ramp, slapping hands with fans and absorbing the cheers that continued even after I was behind the curtain. I felt like a little kid again, all pumped up and excited and ready for more. R-Truth greeted me as soon as I was backstage again, shouting, "Man, Cena! That was one of the best matches I've seen with you!"

Morrison nodded at me from the far corner, and Gail Kim and Eve came up to give me congratulating hugs as well. I was totally elated.

I caught sight of Randy leaning against the far and talking to Santino. I started toward Randy, but R-Truth stopped me to say, "I gotta know, man. Where have you been hiding all this time?"

Gail Kim and Eve also stood by, awaiting my answer. With a wave of my hand, I replied, "Wade was all about being the center of attention, so I wasn't in action for a while. No biggie now, I'm free!"

R-Truth laughed and Gail and Eve nodded in agreement. Randy looked up at me just as I started for him again. I couldn't help smiling broadly because of how good I felt, and Randy flashed me a half-smile that he was glad I was doing so well. I knew Randy was set for the main event in less than fifteen minutes, but I wanted to share my moment with him.

I had to stop abruptly when CM Punk came from out of nowhere and stood in my path, shouting loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Jonathan Cena, it's so great to have you back!"

Every nearby head turned to face us. I put on a fake smile and replied, "Yeah, it is great."

"Come here and give me a hug!" Punk pulled me in before I could turn him down.

Punk pressed his lips to my ear and quietly seethed, "You tell me where Justin Gabriel is now, or I will make a scene."

He dug his nails into my exposed back for emphasis. I cringed and glanced up at Randy, telling him with my eyes that something was wrong. Randy started for us as I pulled away from Punk and chuckled awkwardly, still aware of the people watching us as I said, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something. You want to take a walk with me?"

Punk betrayed nothing as he smiled simply and motioned for us to leave, saying, "You lead the way."

Randy was almost to us when Michael Cole came backstage and said to me quickly, "John, you have to leave right away."

"What? Is something wrong?" I panicked.

Shaking his head, Michael explained, "Mr. McMahon called me during the break, and he says he has you booked for eight interviews. He wants you on the road and to the first signing by dawn. It'll be about a six hour drive."

"Why didn't he call me on my cell?" I asked, confused.

"He said that your phone kept sending him to voicemail. If you plan to get to the first interview on time, you've got to leave now," Cole replied.

"What about sleep?" I asked, but Cole just shrugged.

Punk immediately popped up and said, "I'll take you to your interview, John! I've got the perfect new car and I'm sure you'd love to see it!"

Randy visibly tensed from right behind Punk. I tried to think of a good reason to turn Punk down, but Cole did it for me, saying, "Punk, you can't possibly take John to the interview! You have to be out live in five minutes!"

Punk gave Cole a hard stare and stated sarcastically, "Oh right, I'm supposed to take over _your_ job of announcing."

Cole scoffed at Punk and refused to reply. Randy looked at me and said, "Smackdown is coming through here to get to their next event. I'll make a call for someone to pick you up."

Punk turned around and glared hatefully at Randy. We still had plenty of witnesses, so to throw everyone off, I played dumb by shrugging nonchalantly, asking Randy, "Alright, then. Who would be driving at this time of the night, though?"

Randy replied passively, "I know a guy."

Punk shot both Randy and I a furious look before he turned on his heel and stormed out. Cole snorted laughter and said, "What the fuck is up with that dick?"

I turned to Cole with widened eyes and asked, "Did you just curse twice?"

Cole rolled his eyes at me and answered, "Fuck, John, I curse like a drunken sailor. I just can't say that shit on live TV or I'll lose my fucking job."

 _Damn. Never knew Cole to say so much as hell on a bad day._

I looked back at Randy and asked, "So who is this guy?"

:-:

"I WALK ALLLLOOOOOOOONNNNNNNEEEEE!" Cody Rhodes sang the chorus to the Saliva song at the top of his lungs.

He let go of the last note with a guttural growl, then Cody turned to me and said, "Oh, sorry, I forgot that you are supposed to be asleep."

I chuckled at the surreal situation I was in. Cody was driving me to the Squaw Trail Hotel to meet up with Mr. McMahon. We were going down the middle of the road in the dead of night, in a four wheel drive with the top down and Cody belting out wrestling entrance themes as they boomed through his custom speakers.

"I don't think I can sleep after the awesome match I had tonight," I smiled before adding, "You do realize that this song is Batista's entrance theme, right?"

Cody frowned and replied, "Yeah, he totally stole the idea for it from me. I don't even care that it plays for him, it's an f'in great song! It basically demands that you kick someone's ass when you hear it!"

"Yeah, I guess it does sound pretty amazing," I admitted.

Cody messed with the player to switch tracks as he said, "I like your old theme song, too, that Thuganomics one."

My voice started rapping through the speakers, the bass vibrating the vehicle and our chairs. Cody started bobbing his head from side to side and rolling his shoulders like some white boy making a poor excuse for an R&B dance. I groaned and replied, "I can't stand this song anymore! I've heard it too much!"

"Oh, sorry. I've got the best entrance theme ever on here. Legacy's, of course," he said, switching the track.

"Why do you listen to all the entrance themes?" I asked curiously.

Cody stopped the player on Randy's theme so he could turn to me and explain while idly watching the road, "I have a system in place that is totally fail-proof. I've discovered that every wrestler picks his own theme, a song that reflects his personality. If I can listen to the song and understand it, then I can understand the personality of the wrestler, and that helps me to beat him faster."

I was slightly distracted by Randy's theme, but I still heard enough to give Cody a sideways glance, asking, "What?" 

With a short sigh, Cody answered, "It's really simple if you think about it. Let's take Randy's theme as an example since it's playing now. His song talks about voices that he hears that counsel him and his emotions. They tell him how to hurt, how to punish, and he heeds them because they are actually his own thoughts giving him the drive to win."

I had never thought about Randy's entrance theme that way before. I was inspired to ask, "Well, what about groups that come in under the same theme, like Nexus? How does that describe all of them?"

Cody shook his head, explaining, "It doesn't. See, the theme is set for the main guy, and in a group setting, that's gotta be the leader. The Nexus theme is pretty straightforward. The lyrics talk about rebellion; fighting against the system until it's rubble and then rising up as one unstoppable revolutionary form."

I nodded and Cody continued, "With Nexus, there's a problem. The theme doesn't match their leader, Wade. He's said numerous times that he totally hates the entrance theme, so according to my system, that would indicate that he's not the legitimate leader."

I was amazed that Cody was explaining the truth of the situation without even realizing it. I asked him, "Well, who is the real leader, then?"

"The song is made for a true rebel. A guy who does the opposite of what the system wants. He's gotta be intelligent and the leader type, but he probably won't look it. He'll be the one to take everyone down from the inside out, without them ever knowing it," Cody answered.

 _He had just described CM Punk._

"Who do you think this leader could be?" I asked, curious to know if Cody had figured it out.

Shrugging, Cody replied, "I'm not sure, yet. I don't think it's a current member of Nexus, though. I thought it could've been you if you turned heel and went all badass."

I laughed. It was obvious that Cody had no clue that my servitude to Nexus was very real. Randy's theme finished and Mark Henry's entrance theme started playing. I almost though to ask Cody to play Randy's theme again, but instead I said, "So thanks for picking me up tonight."

"No problem, really. Randy asked me to pick you up as a favor, and I'm willing to do anything for him after all the trouble he went through to help me learn the ropes of the industry," Cody replied.

He looked at me and added, "Don't tell him I said this, but Randy is one awesome dude. If he likes you, he'll do anything in his power to make sure you get treated right."

"Yeah, he does," I sighed.

Cody added passively, "I was actually going to stop by anyway. Randy called me earlier and told me that Justin Gabriel had broken away from Nexus and was looking to trade to Smackdown. I was going to talk to Gabriel and see if he was serious about trading before we got McMahon involved."

I asked with surprise, "Randy asked you to do that?"

Cody nodded and answered, "Yeah, but since you needed to be on your way, he said we'd talk later. I'm not sure if trading Gabriel is a good idea, though."

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

Cody gave me a short look and answered, "We at the Smackdown roster have been keeping tabs on the Nexus crap being pulled on RAW. We've also seen Otunga lead Nexus to do some damage in our part of town. If Gabriel shows up in our roster, the guys are going to get anxious because it means they'll have infiltrated the entire WWE."

I hadn't thought of that conclusion. Cody suddenly changed the subject, asking me, "So what's it like to be free of Nex-sucks?"

We talked about it for a while before I finally started to feel tired. Cody turned off his stereo and I leaned back in my chair, feeling the warm night air on my face as I thought of Randy and wondered what he was doing right now...

:-:

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

I knew that John would have wanted me to check on Gabriel, so I went straight to his motel after the show. I noticed as soon as I pulled up that Gabriel's room was lit but his curtains were closed. I got out and went to his door, knocking lightly as I said, "Hey, Gabriel, I just came by to tell you something. Let me in."

"Go away! I don't want to talk to you!" Gabriel shouted angrily.

At first, I got angry, then I looked at the window of Gabriel's room and noticed that the curtain was open just enough for me to see two sets of keys on the end table.

"Fine. Don't expect me to come back," I moved away from the door and pinned myself against the door of the next room so I couldn't be seen.

It took almost a minute before Gabriel's door opened, and Wade leaned out to take a look around. I grabbed him when his back was turned to me and shoved him back into the room, slamming the door to keep us locked inside before I looked up at Gabriel.

He was sitting on the bed, rubbing at fresh finger marks across his throat. Gabriel's pain didn't inspire the rage that I felt when protecting Cena, but I still didn't like seeing someone being bullied. Wade was starting to get up when I asked Gabriel, "How the hell did he find you?"

"Cena checked in under his name," Gabriel informed me.

 _That's why Wade was here. He thought this was Cena's room._

Fury overwhelmed me. I stopped thinking and went purely on instinct as I tackled Wade and kicked him in the skull, knocking him out cold. Gabriel gasped and stood up on the bed, asking timidly, "What are you doing?"

I closed my eyes and forced my rage to calm just enough to respond to Gabriel. I opened my eyes when I was controlled again and told him, "Get your things. I'm taking you to another hotel."

"What are you going to do with Wade?" Gabriel asked.

I took Wade by his wrists and dragged him to the bathroom, telling Gabriel, "Something I should've done a long time ago."

:-:

 _-_ _ **-**_ _ **Inside Randy's Head**_ _ **-**_

Wade woke up slowly. I was almost relieved when he finally opened his eyes. I was already set up and I was getting tired of waiting for him to revive.

I rifled through his bag with a devoid expression while he struggled to understand where he was. He pulled at his wrists, one handcuffed to the tub, one handcuffed to the toilet. He realized he was in a bathtub full of water, still fully clothed so that he was completely drenched. He looked down at the wire that I had strapped to his left hand and rigged with a few simple attachments to connect it to a nearby wall socket. He saw the on/off switch next to my foot and looked up at me with a mix of fear and hatred.

I pulled a large white dildo out of Wade's bag and pointed it at him, saying in my usual dry tone, "You're a sick and twisted Englishman, Mr. Barrett."

He tried to play off what I had found, stating sourly, "Wha? That's no' mine! Gabriel's the bender, it's certainly his!"

I raised my eyebrows like I was thinking about his explanation, then I replied, "Yeah, the bag full of sex toys and sadist bondage shit must be Gabriel's. Strangely, your wallet and cell phone were in it."

Wade stared at me and swallowed hard. I tossed the dildo back in the bag and mentioned, "I noticed there were some pictures in here, too. Gabriel must have a thing for John Cena."

"Those were from the Nexus article tha' we shot las' week! I was bringing them to show Cena," Wade continued to deny the truth.

I was getting bored. I pressed the on switch to my device with my shoe, and Wade's body went completely tense as waves of electricity surged through him.

 _I knew it wouldn't kill him, but it definitely wouldn't make him stronger._

His bag was full of tricks. I had to block out the reality that Wade had planned to jump Cena and probably use every one of these tools on him. According to the hotel registration, I was clear across town in a totally different hotel. Wade probably thought Cena would be alone.

 _Quiet, rage. I will make sure that Wade never tries this again._

I pressed the switch to turn the device off, and Wade's body went limp as he struggled to breathe. He was in so much pain, I wasn't sure he would hear me, but I leaned down and told him anyway, "I met a guy during my short time in the Marine Corps. He had all these ideas about how to graphically torture someone without leaving a mark on their body. He showed me exactly how to do it, and you're my guinea pig for tonight's invention."

"Wha' do you think you're doin'? I will no' stand for this, Or'on!" Wade argued weakly.

I got down on one knee to face him better and remarked dryly, "Let me put this in terms that even you can understand: you keep trying to stick your dick in my boyfriend. He has told you to stop more than once, but you just keep trying, so I'm here to make sure that you get the message."

Wade just stared at me, stating darkly, "It doesn't matter wha' you do, Third Place. I'm going to get your li'l John, an' I'm going to fuck 'im so hard, he'll be sweating my cum!"

I slammed the device switch so hard with my fist, it left a gash on the right side of my hand. Wade tensed in pain again, and I stood up to watch him while he suffered.

Knocking softly at the bathroom door, Gabriel asked quietly, "Randy?"

"Yeah," I called to him without opening the door.

"Are you going to kill Wade?" he asked with a trembling voice.

I had considered the option, but I knew that Gabriel would call John if I did, and that would make a whole new set of problems.

"No. I'm just letting him off with a warning. Get in the truck, I'll be right there," I stated.

I heard slow footsteps as Gabriel left the room. I stared at Wade a while longer, the rage inside of me churning like a storm in the middle of the ocean, threatening to take me over, demanding that I leave Wade in his current state so that he could suffer for hours until someone found him.

I reached over with my foot and turned the switch off. Wade passed out and I took the connectors off so that it looked like he was just some poor idiot who tried to have a night of fun and got left by his hooker. As I turned to leave, I smelled something odd and I couldn't help smiling slightly.

 _Wade had shit his pants._

:-:

"John? John, wake up," Cody shook my shoulder.

I opened my eyes and saw the dawn barely breaking the surface of the sky. We were in the city now, and I looked up to see the neon sign of the Barber Trail Hotel blazing with huge red and purple lights.

"Did we make it in time?" I asked groggily.

"Yeah. I'll walk you inside," Cody got out and waited for me.

I got out as well, rubbing my eyes and psyching myself up, trying to forget that I had only had about three hours of sleep in the last two days. Cody led me inside and I followed him to the meeting room where McMahon was supposed to be. It was only then that I realized I hadn't checked my phone to see if he had been trying to contact me.

"Shit," I said aloud.

Cody turned to face me and asked, "What?"

"Nothing. I should get inside," I said, reaching for the door as my stomach tied into knots.

I opened it and peeked inside. I saw McMahon at the far side of the meeting room, looking over a large deck of pictures that I assumed were mine and I would probably be signing them all by hand later. I breathed a sigh of relief and walked in, giving Cody a nod that things were alright so he could get back to driving. He waved good-bye and I closed the door, alerting McMahon as he turned around and shouted at me, "Cena, there you are!"

He came up to me and explained eagerly, "Since you're wrestling again, the fans are going nuts! The website is getting so many hits, it shut down for three hours! We've got interviewers calling left and right! They're clamoring to get a minute with you!"

I grinned broadly and said, "Sounds like I'm good for business."

"Hell yes! Hell, hell yes!" McMahon exclaimed.

:-:

Four hours and hundreds of autographs, pictures and interview questions later, I was completely exhausted and still losing steam as I sneaked away from McMahon to find a quiet spot for some alone time.

 _And this was just interview number one._

I pulled out my cell phone and called Randy. I hoped that he would answer me, but after the third ring, I started to feel desolate.

"Yeah?" Randy asked through the line, and I had to put my hand over my mouth so I didn't cry out.

"It's so good to hear your voice," I said, making Randy chuckle.

"Are the interviews going well?" he asked.

I let out a loud groan through the phone as I leaned back against he wall and answered jokingly, "Yeah, it's all great. Good for business."

Randy chuckled again, making me feel much better. He asked me, "No problems, then? Did Cody get you there on time?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. I'm really tired, though. I wish you were here to perk me up," I laughed.

Randy asked deviously, "Is anyone else around?"

"No, I'm alone right now," I answered.

"Well, then...what are you wearing?" Randy asked thickly.

I answered jokingly, "My most expensive midnight blue Vera Wang gown with matching Prada heels."

Randy chuckled again, then he told me with his dry sense of humor, "Stick your hand under your gown and rub one out while I talk dirty to you."

I laughed a little too loudly, so I looked around to make sure no one had heard me before I replied, "I don't think this is a good time."

"What? You don't think I can make you come to a head just by hearing the dirty thoughts I have about you?" Randy stated.

"Oh, I'm sure I could, I just don't think I'm in the right place for something like that. There could be cameras on me," I glanced around suspiciously.

With a frustrated sigh, Randy replied, "Alright, leave me hanging, then."

I smiled with sudden inspiration as I said, "Well, I could find a bathroom and hide out for a few minutes..."

"Yeah? Hurry-" Randy started.

I waited for him to finish, but the line was silent. I looked down at my phone and realized that the call was still connected. I put the phone back to my ear and asked, "Randy? Randy?"

Silence. I barely recognized my own voice as I screamed through the phone, "RANDY!"


	24. Chapter 24

24:

I held the phone against my ear and listened intently to the silence, waiting for Randy to answer me.

 _He must've accidentally dropped the phone. He's picking it up and he's going to answer me any second now. The call is still connected so he has to be there._

The seconds felt like hours before I finally heard a voice on the other line, but it wasn't Randy's.

"Well, hey, there, John-John! How are your interviews going?"

 _I knew that condescending voice anywhere. It was Punk._

I had to take a deep breath to keep myself from launching a series of insults. I strained to be calm as I asked, "What have you done with Randy?"

Still as apathetic as always, Punk told me passively, "Oh, your precious Randal is drugged and handcuffed to the headboard at the moment, but he'll be fine. I just need you to tell me where Justin Gabriel is, and I'll let Randy go and be on my way."

 _He spoke like he was smiling. I wanted to rip the skin off his face so he never smiled again._

I closed my eyes and deliberated for a second. I knew that, if I told Punk the truth, Gabriel would probably meet the same fate that I had gone through with Nexus, and I just couldn't bear to put that on someone else. I sighed heavily and stated, "I don't know."

"Let's see if I can jog your memory," Punk said, then I heard a loud pop and Randy cried out in overwhelming pain.

Tears formed in my eyes so I slammed them shut to stop the wave of emotion running through me. All I could do was stand there and listen as Randy groaned in agony, like whatever Punk had done to him was causing him prolonged suffering. I felt so helpless, I could barely speak when Punk asked through the phone, "Do you know where Gabriel is now, or do I have to dislocate Randy's other shoulder?"

Randy's hyper-mobile shoulders meant that Punk could easily pull them out of the socket. I thought fast, blurting out quickly, "He's with me! Gabriel's with me!"

There was a short pause, then Punk asked, "Really?"

I pieced together a half-truth and answered, "Gabriel was thinking of transferring to Smackdown. He came with me to talk to Mr. McMahon about it."

There was another pause. I was worried that Punk didn't believe me, but then he said pointedly, "I thought that was what happened. Slater is already on his way. He'll be there to meet you in two hours. I'll put Randy's shoulder back in, but if you don't hand over Gabriel to Slater, I'll dislocate joints that will leave Randy out of action for years."

"Alright, you'll have Gabriel, I promise," I said.

Punk hung up on me without responding. I put my phone back in my pocket and fell against the wall, wracking my brains to think of something I could do to get out of this situation.

A random memory came to mind. I met the ECW roster for One Night Stand years ago, and when I was talking with Sandman, he gave me an odd tip that suddenly made total sense.

" _Ya gotta rush 'em so they don't see it comin'."_

 _At the time, I thought he was just rambling because I had just watched him down four beer and a Jack Daniels in less than thirty seconds. He then proceeded to smash his head against the wall for three minutes straight._

I decided to take the advice of one of the most extreme wrestlers in history, and I rushed the nearest concrete wall, smashing my left arm into it as hard as I could.

The injury wasn't as bad as I had hoped, but I managed to make my arm all twisted, and it hurt like hell, which gave me enough to convince McMahon that I would have to quit interviews for the day. I tore my shirt a little and pulled at my face to make it look like I had been mauled, then I ran back to the interview room and found McMahon waiting for me.

He became serious when I came up to him pretending to look frantic and shouted, "I just got ambushed by a group of crazed fans! I barely made it out, but they got my arm!"

I tried to hold my left arm up and winced in pain. McMahon pulled me away from the crowd of people around us and whispered to me, "I'm so sorry, John. I thought this place was more secure than that. I'll create a diversion, and you sneak out the back. The limo is waiting at the end of the parking lot. We'll be out of here in no time."

I nodded and sneaked away while McMahon stopped the interview proceedings. I grabbed my jacket and bag from the other room and disguised myself so I could get to the limo with no trouble. Once I was there, I borrowed the limo driver's cell phone to call Gabriel so that my phone wouldn't have a trace back to him.

"Who is this?" Gabriel asked in his slight South African accent.

"It's me, it's John. Where are you now? Punk is holding Randy captive and he is looking everywhere for you. He's got Slater coming for me because I told him you were here," I said.

Gabriel sighed like he knew something like this could happen, then he replied, "I am not at the motel. Wade found out where I was and Randy had to move me."

"How did Wade find you? I checked in under my name..." I trailed off, realizing that Wade had gone looking for me and found Gabriel instead.

"You said Randy had to move you. Does that mean that Randy saw Wade?" I asked, bracing myself for the worst.

Gabriel explained quickly, "Everything is alright, John. Randy gave Wade some payback but did not kill him."

"Thank God," I breathed, imagining Randy threatening fellow inmates with the RKO if they didn't get him cigarettes.

"You said that Slater is coming for you?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah," I answered, and Gabriel explained, "Leave Punk to me. I will help Randy. As for Slater, he is bad with directions. He always rides with someone else. You will have two men coming for you."

It was a very informative tip. I replied gratefully, "Thank you, Gabriel. Please watch yourself with Punk, I don't think he's in his right mind at the moment."

"I have a way to defend myself. I will be fine," Gabriel promised.

I thanked him again and hung up. All I could think about was what Punk would do to Randy if he didn't get word from Slater that Gabriel was with me.

 _I needed a plan, and I needed it fast._

:-:

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

"Drink this. You'll feel better," Punk stated, pressing a glass of water to my lips.

My body felt like it was made of lead. My head was spinning and I was sick, but I didn't want Punk to know it. I took a gulp of water and spit it in Punk's face. He stared at me blankly, then he shattered the cup against the wall and yelled, "Why won't you fucking do as I say?"

It was the first time I had seen him lose it so far. He composed himself almost as fast as he freaked, and I lifted the middle finger of my right hand as high as it would go, telling him, "Fuck you."

He suddenly leaned forward and put all his weight against my right shoulder, where he had dislocated the joint and put it back in a few minutes earlier. I strained to hold in my pain, clenching my jaw defiantly so Punk wouldn't get the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

Punk gave me a sideways glance with his dead eyes, waiting for me to relent, but I wouldn't give up. He finally let go and stepped away from me, asking darkly, "Do you think this is a game, Randy?"

"What do you want to call it? A piece of fiction someone just typed up in their basement?" I countered.

Punk glared at me, then he took out his cell phone and pressed his speed dial as he said, "Let's play a new game. It's called: Where in the World Is Papa Cena?"

I became confused, unsure what angle Punk was playing. Someone answered on the other line and Punk said to them, "Hey, how's it going, Mikey? Great, man. So, how is John Cena, Sr.?"

 _John's father. Punk had someone watching John's father._

My eyes widened and Punk gave me a crooked grin. He continued talking to Mikey on the phone, "He is? Well, good for him! You know, it might be a little dangerous, though. An older man like him, out all alone, not telling anybody where he went...accidents can happen."

I couldn't take anymore. I told Punk, "Stop it."

Punk continued to smile at me, but said to Mikey, "Alright, well, make sure he doesn't fall in a hole or something while he's out. Wouldn't want to have to call Junior to tell him that Senior's in a bad way...okay, see ya, man."

He hung up and stared at me. I told Punk coldly, "If you do anything to Cena's family, you won't have a prayer to save you."

Punk laughed loudly and irritatingly. When he finished, he looked at me angrily and said, "You think you can do anything to me now, Randy Orton? I've got Cena's whole family and extended family on twenty-four hour watch! If anything happens to me, very bad things will happen to them! I follow through with my threats all the way!"

I knew from his stone expression that he was telling the truth. I looked away, and Punk smiled again, thinking he had won yet another fight.

"You don't understand how much it means to me to see both you and Cena crash and burn. I plan to watch the flames with my own two eyes," Punk said to me.

"That's not going to happen," I stated.

Chuckling slightly, Punk replied, "I knew you would say that. Your so confident that you can save yourself and Cena from my path of destruction. You have no idea how much I've planned this out."

He leaned in closely to me and said darkly, "I have the game made so that you're going to be my fall guy. If anything happens, it'll look like you're to blame. Cena will lose trust in _you_ , and he'll walk away from _you_. I know the worst thing that could ever happen to you, and I'm already preparing to make it a reality even as we speak."

I chose not to believe him. I knew he wouldn't just tell me his whole plan. He was saying all of this to get to me. He looked at me like he knew what I was thinking, then he told me mockingly, "You think you're so strong, but oh, how the mighty will fall."

I gave him a look of hate and stated again, "Fuck...you."

Punk leaned into me again and shoved his hand into the crotch of my jeans, grabbing my balls and squeezing them hard. I couldn't hold down the pain and I screamed angrily, "You sick fuck!"

"I haven't even started yet," Punk said idly.

A loud knock at the door stunned us both. Punk got off of me and shoved a rag in my mouth before I could yell out, and I heard Gabriel say from the other side of the door, "Randy? Are you in there? I would like to talk to you."

Punk's face lit up like Christmas. He rushed to the door and gave me one last evil grin before he threw open the door to face Gabriel.

Gabriel put up a taser gun and fired it at Punk. With a short yelp, Punk fell back to the floor and flopped around, then went limp and passed out.

 _That was fuckin' awesome._

Gabriel came into the room and saw me shirtless, gagged, and handcuffed to the headboard. He hesitated for a moment, giving me a strange look.

 _If I didn't know any better, I would say he looked kind of aroused._

I cursed at him through my gag, and he blinked a few times, then let go of the taser and turned around to shut the door. He ran back to help me, saying, "We've got to hurry and leave here. John is in trouble."

 _That's all I needed to hear. My body stopped feeling like lead, my head stopped spinning and I didn't feel sick anymore. All I felt was the rage inside surging through me like it never had before._

I sat up straight and shouted angrily, "Where the fuck is he?"

:-:

"I'm really sorry, John, I am. I can't believe that this happened," McMahon said.

He had apologized twice when he got into the limo, then three more times when we got out to the highway, then four more times as we were driving along. He was legitimately concerned about my arm, and he had already called two different doctors to see me as soon as we got back to the hotel.

 _I was beginning to feel bad for being a big fat liar._

"It's alright, Vince, really. I just feel awful that I couldn't do more interviews," I said, quickly glancing out the back window to check behind us.

McMahon frowned and stated under his breath, "If the fans are going to tear you apart on the way to the bathroom, there's no telling what they might do somewhere else. I'm worried for the safety of my wrestlers..."

I could see that my lie was making more waves than I intended, so I quickly changed the subject, asking, "What do you want for dinner? We'll stop anywhere. I'm buying."

McMahon came out of his thoughts to answer me, but his cell rang and he answered it instead. I could hear someone chattering quickly on the other end, and McMahon was responding with both concern and anger, "What? You can't be serious! He was? Well, what was he doing there? I see...yes..."

He gave me a sideways glance, and I knew McMahon was getting some bad news with my name on it. I swallowed hard, wondering if something had gone wrong and the whole situation was about to unravel.

"Alright. Get him to a doctor and make sure he's not sick or something. Right...okay...I'll talk to him...bye," McMahon said, hanging up his cell and giving me a hard stare.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..._

"What's the problem?" I asked innocently.

"One of my assistants just found Wade Barrett handcuffed and covered in his own shit in the bathtub of a motel room," McMahon informed me.

 _That was more information than I cared to hear._

I gave him a disgusted face and said, "That's weird."

McMahon added, "That's not the weird part."

"There's more?" I said uncomfortably.

"It turns our your name was used to check into the motel room where he was found," McMahon stated.

 _Oh, super fuck._

I chuckled awkwardly and said, "Well that's...really weird, I guess."

McMahon shifted loudly in his seat, then he asked me, "Look, I want to be frank with you, Cena. This situation is going to raise a lot of questions, and I have to ask you myself: are you and Wade...?"

"No! No, God no!" I shook my head so violently, I thought I gave myself whiplash.

McMahon breathed a huge sigh of relief, then he asked, "So why was he handcuffed and in a kinky way in a room under your name?"

"No clue. I wasn't checked into any hotels yet when Cole gave me the word that you needed me," I lied.

McMahon put his hands up in defeat and replied, "Alright, alright, I want you to be honest with me. The past few months have been really crazy, and sometimes downright awful. What is going on, Cena?"

I wished I could answer him. I lowered my gaze and stayed silent. McMahon groaned with frustration and said, "You wrestlers and your defiance. I'm assuming you think you're helping me by keeping me out of it, right?"

"It's nothing I can't handle, Vince," I told him.

He said with a more serious tone, "I want to know something, Cena. Tell me something about what's going on."

I glanced out the back window again and said, "I can tell you one thing: we're being followed."

"What? Why didn't you tell me before?" Vince asked, turning around to look out.

A black luxury SUV was trailing a distance behind us. I explained as I turned to face forward again, "I wasn't sure until now. They started following after we left the parking lot."

"Could they be the same fans who mobbed you?" McMahon became concerned.

 _Seriously. Worst lie ever._

"No, I don't think it's them. That's an expensive vehicle," I pointed out.

"Right, right. What should we do?" Vince asked.

I glanced out my window just as another vehicle passed us. I recognized the beat up truck and blurted out, "Randy?"

"What? Randy is following us?" Vince became confused.

I whirled around to look out the back window as I explained, "No, it's Randy's truck that just passed us!"

Vince and I both watched as Randy suddenly slammed on the brakes and spun his truck in front of the SUV. The SUV slammed on the brakes as well, narrowly missing hitting Randy as it came to a stop on the shoulder. I shouted at McMahon, "Tell the driver to turn around!"

He did, but the limo was taking too long, and I could see Randy through my window as he got out of his truck and pulled off his t-shirt, wrapping it around his fist so he could easily punch through the window of the SUV.

 _Shit!_

I opened the door to the limo and jumped out. McMahon called for me, but I ignored him and started running. Randy shattered the driver's side window of the SUV with his fist and started pulling out the person inside. I recognized Slater's red hair as Randy dragged Slater through the window and let him fall onto the asphalt, then Randy held Slater down and started beating the shit out of him.

"Randy, stop!" I shouted, reaching out so I could pull him off of Slater.

Gabriel got out of Randy's truck and came around to see what was happening. I wrapped my arms around Randy's neck and tried to pull him away, but he wasn't responding to me like he usually did. I was afraid he was still drugged and unable to stop himself, so I considered putting him in a choke-hold until he passed out.

I was blindsided by a massive weight that pulled me away from Randy and picked me up off the ground. I realized it was Husky Harris too late. He kept running and rammed me into the side of Randy's truck, knocking the wind out of me and pushing the truck halfway off the ground with his force.

The truck came back down and bounced on its tires as Husky let me go and I dropped to my knees. Randy was up and after Husky so fast, I barely registered that he had moved. Husky turned around just as Randy kicked him hard in the stomach. Husky leaned forward, and Randy took his head, dropping Husky down into an RKO. Husky's head bounced off the asphalt and he rolled away. Randy was back on his feet like he was completely unaffected, staring at me with wild eyes.

 _Whatever drugs Punk had given him, it had apparently served to amplify Randy's rage issues._

I held my ribs and struggled to breathe. Randy's expression went from wild to concerned as leaned down to help me up, but McMahon appeared out of nowhere and shouted, "What the fuck is all this?"

Randy and I froze. Gabriel stepped forward and said to McMahon, "I believe I can explain this, Mr. McMahon. It is a case of misunderstanding."

:-:

 _ **-**_ _ **Inside Justin Gabriel's Head**_ _ **-**_

I told Vince McMahon a story. It was not the truth, but it was enough to make him angry with Husky Harris and Heath Slater. They were sent back to their SUV and told to follow Vince back to the hotel to be reprimanded with the rest of Nexus. I would stay and negotiate to be transferred to Smackdown. I made the story so that John and Randy would not be in trouble. Vince believed me.

I rode back to the hotel with Randy and John. I stayed close to the door and closed my eyes most of the way to let John and Randy have time together. John sat up close to Randy and rested his head on Randy's shoulder. I was surprised that Randy could drive when he said he was drugged by CM Punk. I could see the drugs were wearing off, because Randy was becoming calm again.

 _Or maybe he was calm because John was with him?_

Randy looked at John's left arm, which was bruised like he had hurt it. Randy asked him in a quiet voice, "What'd you do to your arm?"

"I ran it into a wall," John said.

"Why the fuck would you do that?" Randy became angry.

John sighed like he did not want to argue and told Randy, "I didn't want to stand around and sign autographs when I knew you were in trouble."

Randy looked at John and showed love in his face, but his voice stayed strong as he argued, "You shouldn't have done that. I was about to escape."

I knew that this was a lie, but John did not. He made a loud breath through his nose, then John said sadly, "I was so worried that something was going to happen to you."

Randy gave John a face of love again. He put his arm around John and pulled him closer. John put his hand on Randy's leg, moving under the zipper of his jeans. Randy groaned in pain and leaned quickly away from John's hand, almost losing control of his driving. Randy steadied the truck and his face went dark. John became upset and asked him, "What's wrong?"

Randy looked over at me. I pretended to be asleep, still keeping my eyes mostly closed. Randy faced the road again and told John, "It's nothing, I'm fine."

John leaned away to look up at Randy and said loudly, "You're lying to me! What's wrong?"

Randy warned him in a whisper, "Be quiet, Gabriel is asleep."

John looked at me and then back at Randy, then said in a quiet voice, "Did Punk try to do something to you like Wade tried to do to me?"

"No, it wasn't like that. Punk just wanted to put me in a lot of pain," Randy replied.

John sighed and put his head on Randy's shoulder again, mumbling, "What an asshole."

Randy did not say anything else, but watched the road. After a few minutes, John slowly put his hand back under the zipper of Randy's jeans and held him there.

This time, Randy did not lean away.


	25. Chapter 25

25:

I was walking into a very bright light. I couldn't see anything around me, but I could feel the ramp underneath my feet, so I knew that I was walking out to the wrestling ring. The light seemed to get brighter the closer I got to it. It was strangely silent around me, but when I turned my head to look for the crowd, I saw nothing but more white, like everything around me had been erased away.

The ramp ended below my feet, and I felt the padding before the ring, but the light was still too bright for me to see anything. I hesitated for a moment, and the light moved away and centered in the middle of the ring. I realized the light was coming from a huge spotlight above the ring, and it was shining down on CM Punk, who was standing in the ring wearing white robes with his arms outstretched and his eyes looking almost sadistic.

"Hello, John. I am God," CM Punk told me, his voice echoing through the empty arena.

I shot up in bed and a bright light hit my eyes like the one in my dream. I held my hand up to shield my eyes and yelled, "Holy fuck!"

"You havin' wet dreams about me again, baby?" Randy joked next to me, and I realized that the bright light was coming from the shopping channel that he had been watching on TV.

I put my hand down and sighed heavily, realizing that what I had just witnessed was thankfully a bad dream. I turned to Randy and smiled, asking, "What makes you think you're the only one who turns me on in my dreams?"

He narrowed his eyes at me like the question was too outrageous for a response. I sat back in bed and waved at the television screen, asking, "What do you watch this crap all the time for?"

"I can't sleep," Randy muttered.

I looked down and saw that Randy was in just a pair of boxers, with a large ice pack over his crotch area. It made me angry to think that Punk had tried to squeeze Randy's balls off to get what he wanted.

 _Sick, filthy, stupid-ass rat bastard son of a fucking beast cock sucking asshole!_

"Are you cursing in your head again?" Randy asked with a wry smile, noticing that I was staring way too intently at his crotch.

I groaned with frustration and said, "I'm just mad that Punk had to go and ruin everything! I really wanted to fool around with you!"

I kicked the blankets off of me to emphasize my teenage-channeled angst.

"What else can I do to make you happy?" Randy asked, and I looked over at him, seeing the pain in his expression at not being able to do what he wanted to do to me.

"Tell me about that day we spent together, when I was drugged and I don't remember what happened," I said.

Randy's face turned red and he looked away. I asked him eagerly, "Why do you turn red like that when we talk about that day?"

He chuckled and I moved in closer to him so I could listen more completely. He put his arm around me and I rested my chin on his shoulder as he explained, smiling wickedly the entire time, "You told me that you had this fantasy about me dressing up as a football player. I found some sporting goods store near the arena and bought a jersey and a helmet. We came back to the hotel, and I did a striptease for you, which you thoroughly enjoyed...and then I put on the jersey and the helmet; nothing on from the waist down."

"What did I do?" I asked, feeling aroused from imagining everything in my head.

Randy's smile faded a little and he answered shortly, "Well, you came up to me and punched me in the stomach."

"What?!" I shouted, making Randy laugh.

He put his hand up to calm me and went on, saying, "I was just as surprised, and pissed off, too, but then you dropped to your knees and came down on me, and oh my fuck, it was unbelievable."

Randy closed his eyes and hummed softly, then he opened them again and added, "The things that you were doing with your tongue...you've got real oral talent, John. I don't mind saying that at all."

I laughed and Randy blew out a long sigh, then he cringed slightly in pain and said, "All this sex talk is gonna make my poor busted balls explode."

I clutched Randy's skin with my hands and said, "I know, I'm sorry, but I really want to know. Please, tell me more."

Randy sighed with frustration, but I knew he wanted to give me more details. He thought for a moment, then he replied, "Well, you let me give you a hummer at the arena. I'm really surprised we didn't get caught."

"A hummer?" I asked, confused.

"I'll explain later," Randy answered, continuing with, "We made out. A lot. Like so much that my lips got kind of chapped and all I could taste was you for two days."

Smiling, I asked, "When did I start singing the dirty version of your entrance theme?"

Randy lifted a brow and said, "I don't know if I want to tell you that one. You were being kind of kinky."

"Tell me!" I demanded, more intrigued than ever.

Randy focused on the ceiling and explained, "You put a condom on your finger and you put your finger in my ass. At first, I thought you'd lost your mind, but then you started rubbing this spot inside, and it made my balls tingle."

"What? You're making that up!" I argued.

Randy looked at me with a serious expression and replied, "No way, I could never dream up something like that. It felt damn good, too. I swear, it felt like I came twice."

I wondered to myself if that was the same spot that Randy rubbed against when he was inside of me. He went on, explaining, "You started singing my entrance theme midway through it, and I wasn't sure if I should laugh because you can't carry a tune when you're not rapping, or if I should start sobbing because it was all unbearably fucking hot."

I laughed and Randy said thickly, "It's nice to tell you all of this. It makes it seem more real, like I didn't just imagine the whole day in my head."

He looked at me with a saddened expression, like a part of him was hoping I would suddenly remember everything.

 _But I didn't. I've prayed to all that is holy that I did, but I didn't._

"What else did we do? You said we experimented," I mentioned.

Randy became thoughtful again, then he answered, "We tried a new position. It was kind of hard for me to keep it up, and I was sure you'd hate it because of the angle, but you were totally into it. In fact, it was your idea."

I became inspired, saying, "Show me."

"John, I can't," Randy started to argue.

"No, I don't mean we have to do it right now! Just show me the position and we'll try it again later," I said, sitting up to look at him better.

Randy looked unsure, but said, "Alright. Get on the floor on your knees facing away from me."

"Okay," I shot him a surprised look before I did as he instructed.

He came up behind me and got down on his knees as well, putting his hands over my hips, then he slowly moved inward until he was holding my inner thighs.

He pressed his lips to my ear and whispered, "Relax."

I tried, but it wasn't easy when I didn't know what was coming. Randy suddenly pulled up on my thighs and lifted me a few inches off the ground. I put my hands out to keep myself from falling face first onto the floor, then Randy brought his knees underneath me so that it was almost like the wheelbarrow position, but Randy was seated instead of standing.

Only problem was, I was leaning forward enough that it felt to me like I was falling, and I hated that feeling more than anything in the world. A wave of panic started to consume me, and I became distraught.

"Put me down, Randy. Please," I managed to say.

He tried to explain to me, "I know that you feel like you're going to fall forward, but I've got you. You can trust me to hold onto you, John. You did last time."

"Randy, put me down! PUT ME DOWN!" I yelled.

He lowered me back to the floor and let me slip out of his grip. I crawled away from him and fell against the dresser by the far wall. I was struggling to catch my breath, and my eyes were swimming from the rush of adrenaline pumping through my veins. Randy stared at me with surprise and said, "Jesus, John, I didn't know it would upset you so much this time."

A part of me was angry that he said that. Maybe I was just angry that I didn't remember, or maybe I was angry that I had such a bad reaction to something as simple as the feeling of falling, but I took it out on Randy, saying spitefully, "You should have known I would've hated something like that! How could you not notice that something was wrong with me that day?"

Randy said nothing, but looked away. I realized that I had hurt him, so I added, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I just..."

I didn't know how to finish my sentence. Randy pushed away his pain and mentioned something random, "I talked to R-Truth that day, before I met up with you. The roster was getting ready to leave, but we still had a few minutes. I wanted to get away from the chaos and clear my head, so R-Truth said I should go up on the balcony because it was restricted to celebrity guests only. I started heading that way, but I got sidetracked by some fans and I never made it to the balcony."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"When I met up with you later, you asked where I was, and when I said I tried to go up to the balcony, you said you should've gone up to look for me. I said that was weird because you hated heights and the balcony was on the roof of the hotel. You said you had no problem facing your fears if it meant you could get to me."

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like a complete ass. Randy finished with, "I told you to stop dumping all your cheese-fest quotes on me and you just laughed. When we tried the new position later, I just assumed that you were facing your fears for me like you said before. You weren't _wrong_ that day, John. Not one damn bit."

I didn't know what to say. Randy started to get up, adding as an afterthought, "The only wrong thing you did was when you called Morrison a bitch for eating nachos."

When Randy said "bitch," I was suddenly pulled back into a strange, surreal memory.

 _ **-FLASHBACK-**_

 _I left early that morning to find Wade, but he wasn't in his hotel room. I checked the desk, and the clerk said he had already left. I tried to call him on my cell, but Wade wouldn't answer. I was sure that, after Randy had humiliated him the night before, Wade had probably gone on a rampage. I tried to call Slater, but he only answered long enough to scream at me, "Bitch!" before hanging up._

 _Randy was also already checked out by the time I got back to his room. I went downstairs to find the wrestlers and Divas waiting to leave, but Randy wasn't with them. I saw R-Truth and waved him over, asking, "Have you seen Orton?"  
_

" _Yeah, he left for the balcony a few minutes ago. He wanted to get away for a while before it was time to go," R-Truth said._

" _Thanks," I replied, leaving to find Randy._

" _The balcony is on the roof, John!" R-Truth informed me as I was leaving._

" _Shit," I said out loud, getting wide-eyed stares from the two ladies at the front counter._

 _I smiled sheepishly at them and walked as quickly as I could down the hallway to the elevators. It was only when I was on the top floor, looking at the big blue sign with an arrow pointing down the hallway that said: BALCONY that I realized this was a huge mistake._

 _I hated heights. That was no secret to my friends and family. Still, I really wanted to see Randy. I had to make sure that Wade hadn't gotten to him._

 _Wandering down the hallway, I noticed that the door to the balcony was slightly open. When I got closer, I could hear the faint sound of rhythmic moaning, and I slowed my pace._

 _It sounded like someone was either highly aroused or badly injured. Stepping even closer, I could make out that the moaning was coming from a male. A random thought popped into my mind that it could be Randy, and without warning, I burst through the door and rushed out onto the balcony to see what was going on._

 _Punk._

 _Wade._

 _Punk was the one moaning._

 _Wade was on his knees sucking Punk off._

 _Oh, shit._

 _Punk saw me first. His expression went blank and he looked down at Wade. I followed Punk's motion, and Wade turned back to face me. He stood up and stormed toward me, screaming furiously, "You've done it now, you little wanker!"_

 _I moved away just as Wade got closer and tried to run back to the door. Punk didn't stop me, but stared at me like I wasn't real. I opened the door and tried to run back down the hallway, but I was grabbed from behind and I hit the floor hard._

" _Fuck!" I shouted, trying to get up._

 _Something jabbed me in the back of my neck. It felt like a needle._

" _Don't worry, he won't remember a thing," Punk's voice echoed in my mind._

 _ **-END FLASHBACK-**_

"What's wrong?" Randy asked me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at him and realized he was standing over me with a concerned expression. It took me a few seconds to form the words to explain, "I just remembered something about that day."

Randy smiled hopefully and asked, "Was it about us?"

I almost shook my head, but something made me stop. I knew I couldn't tell Randy what I remembered, not until I knew for sure that it was true.

"Yeah, it was about us," I said, my stomach churning at the idea of lying to him so blatantly.

His smile faded and he stared down at me curiously, like he knew that I was hiding something from him. I reached out to him and said, "Help me up."

Randy pulled me to my feet and I started to lead him to bed, but there was a soft knock at the door and I let Randy go so he could see who it was.

He checked the peep hole and called back to me, "It's Gabriel."

I breathed a sigh of relief and Randy opened the door to let Gabriel in. With a solemn look to both Randy and I, Gabriel asked, "Could I stay here? I do not want to be alone after I have gotten the others into trouble."

Randy had paid for a room with a double bed to fool McMahon, and the second bed was not being used, so Randy motioned to it and said, "Yeah, that's fine."

Gabriel smiled and thanked us both before wandering over to the bed. I lay back down in our bed, but Randy didn't join me. Instead, he sat at the edge of the bed and watched the shopping channel like he wasn't the least bit tired.

"You're gonna sleep at some point, right?" I asked Randy after Gabriel had already gotten into his own bed and fallen asleep.

"Yeah, I will," Randy said to me over his shoulder, but I knew that he probably wouldn't.


	26. Chapter 26

26:

 _ **-**_ _ **Inside Randy's Head**_ _ **-**_

I was standing at the edge of a pool wearing only my wrestling trunks inside of a million dollar room. I could see my reflection in the black water. I didn't recognize my surroundings, but it looked like someplace a drug lord would pay big money to have. I looked up and saw John sitting on a ledge that was hanging down from the ceiling. He was positioned above the water, and he had his face in his hands and he was mumbling, "Don't let me fall, don't let me fall."

"John? I'm gonna get you down from there," I called up to him.

He wouldn't look up at me. I glanced around to find something that I could use to get to John, and I noticed Punk standing at the other side of the pool with a dumbass smile on his face. I gave him a cold stare, but he ignored it and told me, "You'll never save him, Randy. I've already made sure of that."

"Fuck you, Punk!" I shouted loud enough to make the room shake.

The ledge where John was sitting shook violently, and John tried to grab onto it, but I knew he was going to fall.

"Randy, help me! I don't want to fall! Don't let me fall!" John pleaded.

I didn't know how I could get to him without going into the water. I couldn't tell what was in the water with it being so dark, and I was afraid to find out.

"Randy!" John shouted at me again.

I reached up to him just as the ledge shattered and John started to fall. He moved in slow motion, every moment of his panic and his screams echoing through my senses and threatening to overwhelm me.

 _Why couldn't I save him?_

I opened my eyes and saw John's ass.

I blinked and realized he was dressed and bent over just beside the bed, trying to grab his shoes. I smiled and thought to myself that I should give his ass a good smack, but I glanced over and saw that Gabriel was sitting at the table just a few feet away.

John stood up and moved away. He hadn't noticed I was awake yet. Gabriel had opened the curtains and the bright morning sunlight was coming in through the windows. Gabriel was looking intently down at his cell phone while he sipped a cup of coffee, also ignoring the fact that I was awake. I watched Gabriel for a few seconds, noticing that the light was hitting some of the cuts and bruises on his face and arms that Wade had given to him. I hadn't really noticed before how bad they looked. I could also see old burn marks on Gabriel's arms. They were light enough that I had never noticed them before. I was curious to know where he got them from.

"Did they say anything yet?" John asked Gabriel.

Gabriel shook his head, then he looked over at me. He gave John a nod that I was awake, and John turned to look at me.

 _I suddenly felt like the odd man out._

"McMahon wants us at the next arena in three hours. If we leave in twenty minutes we'll get there in time," John told me, his expression reserved.

I purposefully took my time sitting up, asking, "What else is going on?"

"Nothing. We're just waiting to hear if Punk and Wade are in trouble," John said.

 _I knew he was blowing me off._

"Right. That must be all, then," I said sarcastically, standing up to head to the bathroom.

"What's that supposed to mean?" John argued.

I turned to face him and stated angrily, "It means that I know you two are hiding something from me and I don't fucking like it!"

"What do you think we're hiding, huh, Randy? You think this is some espionage story?" John asked mockingly.

The rage inside was boiling to the surface. I told John in a low, dark voice, "Don't you talk to me like that in front of him."

I pointed at Gabriel, who had been smart enough to keep his mouth shut. John scoffed at me and mumbled something under his breath, which made me more furious. I seethed at him, "What the fuck did you say?"

"I said you're paranoid!" he shouted at me.

The rage surrounded me and lit my insides on fire. I started for John, but he didn't back away. I was inches away from him, and I was so mad, I was seeing red.

 _And it was the biggest fucking turn on I had felt in a long time._

I wanted to grab John and force him onto the bed. I wanted to hold him down and tear his clothes off. I wanted to do very, very dirty things to him. I could see in his eyes that he wanted it as bad as I did, but we had one little problem still sitting at the table watching us.

"FUCK!" I shouted, venting my frustration on the pathetic hotel lamp that I grabbed from the bedside table and shattered against the wall.

I stormed off and grabbed my duffel bag, kicking the legs out from the clothes stand nearby before I went into the bathroom and slammed the door.

 _Oh, he was going to get it later._

:-:

Randy was driving like a maniac down the back roads to the next arena. Normally, it didn't bother me, but Gabriel was practically turning green.

"Would you slow down, please? We don't have to get there any earlier," I joked.

Randy just pressed on the gas. Gabriel groaned and tried to roll down the window. I folded my arms and said, "If he pukes all over the truck, I ain't cleaning it up!"

"He's not puking in my truck!" Randy yelled.

"He is if you keep putting the pedal to the floor!" I shouted back.

Randy slammed on the brakes and we all lurched forward. The truck came to a stop and Gabriel threw open the door, running out a ways before he dropped to his knees and brought up his breakfast.

I gave Randy a hard look and asked, "What did you do that-"

He grabbed my face and kissed me so hard, my lips ached when he pulled away. He closed his eyes and said quietly, "I love you so much, it hurts me."

He opened his eyes again and stared down at me like I was the only reason he existed. I smiled slightly and he added with his dry sense of humor, "I'm going to get you alone, and I am going to make sweet, sweet love to you..."

I laughed, then he became serious and finished with, "Then I'm going to severely punish you for talking back to me in front of Gabriel."

My body felt electrified by his words. I asked teasingly, "Are you going to give me a spanking and wash my mouth out?"

Randy growled with frustration and I knew I was just killing him. He whispered to me, "Just say the word and I'll knock out Gabriel and buy us twenty minutes right now."

I laughed and pulled away from Randy, shouting, "Don't even think about it!"

Randy reached for me again, but Gabriel was coming back to the truck, so he reluctantly pulled back. I told Gabriel when he got back in again, "Randy will slow down, I promise."

Gabriel nodded, but replied, "I think next time I will call a taxi."

:-:

We made it to the arena, and as soon as we walked inside, I knew something was up.

There were wrestlers and Divas scattered everywhere, all of them looking upset. McMahon was right at the front of the group, and he walked up to us as soon as we were inside. He looked at Gabriel and asked, "Could I speak with you for a moment?"

"Yes, sir," Gabriel answered, and he and McMahon walked off.

R-Truth and Morrison rushed over to us. DiBiase came around from the other side and asked, "Do you guys know what's going on?"

"We just got here, Teddy," Randy shook his head.

R-Truth explained, "It's a mess all up in here. Wade Barrett's threatening to sue the company and all of us for charges of harassment and assault, which he says he can back up!"

 _Well, this should be interesting._

Morrison added, "What's worse is that he says he's doing all of this because Punk got fired last night."

 _No. Fucking. Way._

"Punk got fired? How?" I asked, totally confused.

"Wade says you're the one that got him fired, John," R-Truth told me.

I shook my head and replied, "I didn't do anything! I haven't even seen Punk in days!"

"There he is!" shouted someone from nearby.

I looked around but I saw no one. I turned around to face the entrance just as Punk rushed into me and his fist connected with my left eye.

My eye throbbed with pain as I hit the floor. Randy started after Punk, but Punk somehow got around Randy and managed to kick me hard in my left kidney area.

I cried out in pain, and R-Truth and Morrison came to my defense. Randy also tried to grab Punk again, but once more, he slipped out of their grips and ran back outside again.

Blood filled my left eye and I couldn't see well enough to tell where Punk was headed off to, but I had the feeling that he wasn't going to be gone for long.


	27. Chapter 27

27:

Randy found McMahon and I was brought into an room with a single table and chair. A doctor was called in to take a look at my eye, and he brought me some painkillers and a bucket of warm water to stick my face in and wash the blood out so I could see again. Randy and McMahon waited until I had submerged my face in the water before they started talking, not realizing that the water actually made it so much easier for me to hear them.

"What the hell are we gonna do about this, Vince? Wade's got the whole place all worked up," Randy started.

"I've got nothing. He says he has proof and he's shown me a fraction of it, and it looks like he's going to take this all the way," McMahon replied.

"There's got to be a way to shut Wade up. What if you hire Punk back?" Randy said, his voice halting like he hated to even make the suggestion.

"It's not just about Punk. He won't stop until he gets exactly what he wants," McMahon stated.

I pulled my head out of the water before Randy could reply, and they both went quiet again. The doctor came in with a towel and handed it to me to dry off, then he asked, "Feeling any pain now?"

"Not really," I said, reaching up to touch the gash along my eyebrow where Punk had hit me.

"Take a seat and I'll stitch it up for you," the doctor said with a sniffle.

I glanced at him before taking a seat. The doctor looked young and timid and his sniffling was annoying, and since I was in the mood to pester since I got Randy riled up earlier, I couldn't help myself.

I took my seat and acted normally. I saw Randy fold his arms like he could tell I was about to pull a stunt. The doctor threaded a hook needle and started stitching up the gash above my eye. I did nothing for the first couple of stitches, and McMahon was trying to whisper to Randy, but he was too busy watching me.

As soon as the doctor hooked the needle through the gash for the third stitch, I suddenly and loudly cried out as if I were in horrible pain. The doctor jumped back so far, he nearly fell over the table. I busted out laughing, and the doctor shouted at me, "Jesus!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was just messing around," I said, still laughing.

Randy cocked a half-smile and narrowed his eyes at me. McMahon scolded me, "John, this is the worst time for jokes."

I put my hands up in defeat and shouted, "I'm sorry! I just hate all this drama and I wanted to lighten the mood. I promise I won't do it again."

I made the gesture of sealing my lips and stuffed my hands between my knees as if to restrain myself. The doctor looked at McMahon, who nodded that I was telling the truth. I tried as hard as I could not to laugh as the doctor came close again, but I couldn't stop chuckling, and he took it as a sign I was going to punk him again, so the doctor stepped back and said, "I can't do this."

He took off out the door before anyone could stop him. McMahon gave me a hard look and I acted totally innocent, telling him, "What? I wasn't going to do anything, I swear!"

Randy came over to me and said, "Hold still."

This time, I did stop moving.

 _I knew Randy wasn't afraid to fight back if I tried to mess with him._

Randy put his left hand under my chin and turned my head up so he could see where he was going, taking care to stitch me up with his right hand. It was a slow and tedious process, and sometimes he had to lean in so close, I could almost feel his lips near my cheek and I could easily breathe in his cologne, which smelled like a mix of foreign spices and rustic leather. He also made this little growl in the back of his throat while he concentrated, and the whole experience was kind of stimulating.

"So what are we going to do?" Randy asked when he finished the last stitch.

I actually felt my stomach drop when I realized it was over. Randy looped the last stitch and pulled it tight, then he leaned in really close and took the thread between his teeth to tear off the end. As he pulled away, he grazed my stitches like a feather's touch with his bottom lip, and all my insides lit up like fireflies.

McMahon was none the wiser, scoffing as he mentioned passively, "I could've looked around for some scissors."

"I asked what we're going to do about Wade," Randy stated, trying to get McMahon back on the subject.

"It's not going to be easy. Wade's got people in high places, and I can't just turn him away when he's made such serious accusations," McMahon explained.

"What has he asked for, then?" Randy demanded.

 _I already know the answer to that._

"He's asking that Gabriel be reinstated as a member of Nexus so that he can't transfer to Smackdown," McMahon mentioned, purposefully avoiding eye contact with me.

"What else?" Randy asked.

 _The answer is so goddamn obvious. Why does everyone insist on putting it off?_

"He wants Punk reinstated and he wants to add Punk as an official member of Nexus," McMahon went on.

"What else?" Randy folded his arms impatiently.

I stood up and blurted out, "Can we just stop pretending? Wade wants me! He wants me as a member of Nexus, he wants to control what I do and where I go and what matches I'm in and what merchandise I'm on, and he even wants me in bed with him when I'm not in the ring!"

Randy's eyes went wide with shock when he realized what I just said. McMahon gave me a confused expression, but I pointed at him and stated angrily, "Don't you dare pretend that you don't know what's going on, Vince. You've been in this business way too long! You know that there are gay and bisexual men in this profession, probably more than any other, and most of them act like anyone else, but some of them get this complex that they've got something to prove, and they want nothing but control, and they will do anything to have it!"

McMahon let out a deep sigh, and his expression went blank. At first, I wondered if I had said too much, then he finally shook his head and replied, "I'm actually surprised you didn't say anything sooner."

I became confused, so McMahon confessed, "I know almost everything that's been going on. I found out after Wade accused Randy of raping you, John. I had to investigate for myself to make sure that no one was really getting hurt. I don't really know all the details, and I don't think I care to know, but I'm sure that Wade is a straight-up homo with an obsessive need for control, Punk is a bisexual mastermind with a Peter Pan complex, the rest of Nexus and Gabriel are caught in the crossfire, and the two of you are having lots of sex and acting like I'm too much of a dumbass to notice!"

Randy grabbed McMahon faster than I could blink. Randy pulled him close and seethed at him, "You knew about this and you didn't say a damn word?" 

"Randy," I said softly, and he locked eyes with me, then he calmed down and slowly let go of McMahon.

For over a minute, we were all silent, then I asked McMahon quietly, "How did you find out about Randy and I?"

McMahon let out a short laugh and replied, "You two are staying in the same hotel room every night, you're driving to events in the same truck, you're late most of the time anymore, and you two find a way to be together, even when you're supposed to be separate!"

"Does this mean we're fired?" I asked weakly.

Randy clenched his fists and shouted, "No way! I'll walk out and John will stay!"

I opened my mouth to argue, but McMahon stopped us when he yelled, "No one is getting fired, and no one is walking out!"

Randy and I went quiet, then McMahon explained, "Look, as far as I know, the roster who is aware of what's happening don't care, and the rest of them don't need to know. Management and anyone official doesn't have any clue. What matters is that Wade knows, and he's trying really hard to put it out in the open so that someone goes down for rape or sexual harassment here, and those kinds of accusations could ruin the WWE itself."

"Alright. What do we do?" I asked.

McMahon looked at both Randy and I, then he explained, "I want you two to get out of here for a couple of days."

"What?" Randy and I shouted at the same time.

McMahon became serious, stating, "Leave. Stay away. Randy, your hometown of Saint Louis is just a few hours from here. Take John and show him some of the sites or something, just get out of here and don't come back until I tell you that it's safe."

"What about Wade?" Randy asked darkly.

"Don't worry about him. I've got someone looking into Wade's past. We'll dig up some dirt on him that will shut him up, and I'll fix this before it gets out of hand," McMahon said.

"What if you don't find anything?" I asked.

McMahon answered easily, "I've already got a story that Wade tried to pull a stunt like this in the past. When he was an amateur wrestler, he became possessive toward another more established wrestler, a Lincoln "Blackshaw" Brooks. There were never any charges filed and Brooks dropped out of wrestling to be an artist, but if I can find Brooks, maybe I can get Wade to back off."

"Brooks? Why does that name sound so familiar?" I asked.

"It's Punk's real last name," Randy pointed out.

"I already looked into it and Punk isn't related to this Brooks, at least not in writing," McMahon answered the question before I could ask it.

McMahon started for the door. He turned back before he opened it and said, "For the record, I don't like what you guys are doing to each other, but my opinion doesn't matter because it's your choice. I honestly don't care what you do in your spare time, but please, please, stop being late. It's really bad for business."

"Well remember that," I promised, and McMahon walked out, calling to us just before he closed the door, "Now leave already!"

:-:

Randy and I drove to Saint Louis like McMahon suggested. Randy pointed out some of the sights as we went by, but I wasn't really interested, and I could tell that neither was he. It was early afternoon when Randy drove into a secluded area lined with celebrity-style houses, going up to the top of a hill before he turned into the circular driveway of a red brick mansion that stood above all the rest.

I could see an amazing view of the city as soon as I stepped out. I stood there and stared at it in awe while Randy came around to meet me. He smiled at the dopey look on my face and said dryly, "If I knew you'd light up like this, I would've brought you here sooner."

"You've talked about your place before, but I didn't know it was so...huge," I looked around at the half-mile long yard, the three story house and the quadruple garage.

My gaze lingered on the garage, wondering what he had in there. Randy knew I was a car fan, and he smiled as he started for the garage, saying, "I've got a Bentley in there. I've got some classics and muscle cars, too."

He stopped to look back at me, and I asked curiously, "Do you have anything rare?"

Shrugging, Randy answered, "Not really. I've got a truck that I completely customized to perfection. The interior job alone was worth about three paychecks. I don't let anyone touch that thing. Not even my dad."

I frowned and said sadly, "Oh."

Randy stared at me for a moment, then he asked, "Wanna sit in it?"

"Okay," I pretended to act nonchalant to tease him.

 _I could tell from the way Randy violently pressed the garage door button to open it that I was totally getting to him._

We got into his truck, and I slid down into the leather seat, going, "Aaahhhhh," in that way people say when they just took a much needed piss.

Randy narrowed his eyes at me and looked down suspiciously to make sure I hadn't actually urinated out of sheer pleasure. I laughed and said, "I wanna take this out on the town."

He scoffed and replied, "I never take this thing out for joyrides. I don't want to scratch the paint."

"Well, where can we go, then?" I asked.

Randy shrugged and replied, "I know some exclusive places we can go to eat."

I shook my head, so Randy mentioned, "There's a theater designed like an airport with four levels if you want to catch a movie. I wanted to see that new one with The Rock."

I laughed and shook my head. Randy went on thoughtfully, "There's a lot of museums and stuff around here."

"Really? I like museums. The dinosaur bones always look cool," I mentioned.

"It's still early but I know some locals who can score us some tickets with the best seats to just about any game of any sport going on tonight," Randy added.

I nodded and considered the options. Randy looked at me and I looked at him.

 _We were both thinking the same thing._

Randy launched into me and pulled me down in the seat as we started making out furiously. The seat was surprisingly big enough for us both, but I was struggling to find a good place for my feet. I propped my left foot out the window and my right foot on the steering wheel. Randy instantly pulled away from me and grabbed my right ankle, retching it from the steering wheel as he seethed at me, "Don't put your foot there!"

 _His tenacity totally had me sprung._

He pinned my foot against his hip and leaned back in to kiss me again. We made out for a few more minutes before my foot got tired and I started to move it to the steering wheel again.

Randy grabbed my ankle before I even knew he had moved. His hypermobile shoulders made it easy for him to extend his arm back so he could keep hold of my ankle around his hip while simultaneously dipping his body low to press up hard against me.

 _Fuck, he was flexible._

Randy pulled away from my lips and started kissing my jawline. I worked to get my other foot in from the window, and in the process, I caught the edge of the door and my shoe made a loud SQUEAK!

Randy completely tensed, and I realized I had just left a huge scuff mark on the custom leather inside of the driver's side door.

I panicked, and when Randy started to get up, I pulled a cheat wrestling move and thumbed him in the eye.

He let go of my ankle and cried out as he grabbed his eye. I only got him bad enough to stun him as I yanked open the door and slid out of the truck, taking off through the garage like my life depended on it.

 _In this case, it probably did._

I saw a door into the house and rushed through it, finding myself in a white kitchen with black marble counter tops and brand new, seemingly untouched appliances.

 _Who knew Randy's house would be so shiny and clean?_

"John!" I heard Randy call from the garage, so I took off running again.

I passed a living room with a giant TV that almost covered one wall, then I passed a huge fish tank with something big and bright yellow in it, but I didn't stop to question it. I passed another small bathroom and a hallway, then I found a giant staircase. I stopped at the foot of it and looked down, realizing that the carpet was white, and the bottoms of my shoes after running through a dirty, oil slicked garage...well...

Randy turned through the hallway, following my trail of oily shoe prints. He stopped a few feet away from me and stared at me with wild eyes. I grinned like the rabbit running away from the snake and took off up the staircase. Randy rushed after me and grabbed me around the waist mid-way up, pulling us both down onto the steps.

He viciously clawed my shoes off, removing my socks in the process, then he went for my pants, ripping my belt off so fast, I felt the burn of the leather on the rim of my jeans. I struggled to get away from him as Randy went for my shirt next, easily tearing it clean off my back, then he reached around and unzipped my jeans, thinking he had won once he started to pull them down.

I kicked without warning and Randy sat back, startled. He was still holding onto my jeans as I slipped out of them, leaving only my boxers as I rushed up the stairs again, smiling broadly that I had gotten the upper hand.

Randy tackled me at the top of the stairs. I thought he had no chance of catching up with me, so he caught me completely off-guard. I went down on my knees at the top steps, and Randy wrapped his right arm over my right shoulder and across my chest, hooking it under my left ribs in a hold that I couldn't break free of. I wrestled with his right arm with both of my hands, forgetting completely about Randy's other free hand.

He slipped my boxers down to my knees and I froze. Randy pressed his lips to my right ear and I could feel his warm, ragged breath against my cheek as he very slowly, deliberately ran his free hand up the back of my thighs. He straightened his fingers and ran his palm entirely over the length of my backside, like he was _analyzing_ it; _discovering_ it; _shaping_ it.

 _I knew what he was about to do, and I wanted nothing else so badly._

"Say my name," Randy whispered thickly into my ear.

"Randy," I said, and he gave my backside one quick, hard smack with the heel of his hand.

I cried out a little in surprise. I hadn't anticipated that Randy would hit me so hard, or that the pain would be so intensely arousing. He took his hand away and held me in a position so I couldn't see when the next hit would come as he whispered, "Say my full name."

I wasn't quite ready to let him have all the power. I made a disgusted face and said in a mock-tone, "Randal!"

THWAP!

The noise was loud when his skin made contact with mine. I went slightly forward from the impact, and Randy instantly tightened his grip across my chest, seething into my ear, "Say it seriously."

I was so stimulated, it took a lot of effort to keep my voice steady as I said more seriously, "Randal."

He hesitated for a split second before giving my backside another smack. The pain was quick but intense, and it made my eyes water a little. Randy whispered more instructions to me, "Now, say my middle name."

"Keith," the name came out, followed by another hard spank.

Randy kept his palm against my backside this time, curling his fingertips so he could take a piece and squeeze it. I was crazy with anticipation at this point.

 _I didn't know how much longer I could play games before I started begging for Randy to put it in me._

"Say my last name," he whispered, taking my earlobe between his teeth and nibbling it teasingly.

He pulled his hand away and I closed my eyes. I took in a deep breath and yelled loud enough to echo through the house, "ORTON!"

He didn't spank me again. Instead, he let go of his hold on me and turned me over to face him. He grabbed my left hand and pulled it down to the zipper of his jeans, telling me, "Let me out."

I could feel his jeans bulging so strongly, I was surprised he hadn't already torn out of them. I carefully unzipped him, watching as Randy locked his jaw and clawed at the carpet in pain, waiting for me to free him. I opened the front of his pants as far as it would go, then I made my request while Randy was still reeling, "You said you'd make sweet, sweet love to me. I want you to do it in that position you showed me last night."

Randy narrowed his eyes in confusion, saying, "You didn't like it when I showed you."

"I feel like trying it now. I trust you to hold onto me," I replied.

Randy was conflicted between extreme arousal and concern. He told me quietly, "You don't have to do it because of what I said. It's not a big deal."

"Yes it is, and I said I want to do it," I stated boldly.

Randy's eyes became somber and he asked, "Are you sure?"

I thought about making a joke in response, but I knew that Randy was serious, so I answered honestly, "Yes. I'm not afraid when I'm with you."

Randy sighed and looked away, asking me, "Did you have to make it a cheese-fest moment?"

I batted my eyes and said in a high pitched tone, "Now pick me up and carry me to the bedroom to ravage me, man meat!"

"That actually sounds kinda hot," Randy replied dryly, taking my hand and pulling me up to my feet.

He kept his hand in mine and led me down the hallway to his bedroom. When he opened the door, I was temporarily stunned by the gigantic bedroom Randy called his own.

The bed was the size of a swimming pool. One wall was made of windows to capture the view of the city that I saw from outside. There was a jacuzzi built into the floor and the wall separating the bathroom was made of glass, revealing a giant standing stone shower, and another shower right beside it with an antique porcelain tub. The toilet was thankfully tucked away around the corner, but the sink looked like it was a waterfall instead of just a faucet.

"This is fucking amazing," I breathed.

Randy took my head in his hands and said, "No, _you_ are fucking amazing. None of this means a thing to me without you."

He leaned down and started kissing me as he led me slowly along.

I clutched Randy's shirt and tugged on it anxiously. He pulled away from my lips just long enough for me to get his shirt off, then he was back to exploring my mouth again.

It was even harder getting his jeans off. He didn't want to part lips with me, but finally, I managed to sneak away and pull his pants down so he could step out of them.

Randy played with the hem of my boxers while we made out. He led while I followed him, wondering where we were going. He slipped his tongue into my mouth and distracted me just long enough to tug my boxers down. They slid to my ankles and I stepped out of them, grunting at Randy for teasing me so long. I felt him smile against my lips, but he wouldn't break away.

We finally stopped kissing when Randy bumped into something. I realized we were on the other side of the bed, and he was leaning up against the nightstand. Randy pulled open the drawer of the stand, revealing an entire collection of condoms in every color, flavor and customization known to man. I was pretty sure one said it was ribbed, lubed, and could set something on fire.

"Which one do you want on me?" Randy asked me with a wicked half-smile.

I spotted a bumpy blue one that was already lubed and labeled: Blueberry Ecstasy and said, "I want that one."

"The lumps on it are supposed to be 'pleasure enhancing,'" Randy said, pulling out the condom I picked and tearing it open with his teeth.

"I want to put it on you," I demanded, taking it from him.

Randy put his hands up in mock defeat and sat back, waiting for me to continue. I rolled the condom out and took my time sliding it over Randy's erection. He groaned and growled and writhed at me, barely able to contain himself. I reached the end of his shaft and gave the end of the condom a quick tug, making Randy lurch forward in surprise.

I turned around and got down on my hands and knees. Randy came down behind me and slipped inside of me first. My backside was still throbbing a little from the spanking earlier, but it didn't hurt, and the condom Randy was wearing made everything seem easier.

Then he slowly leaned forward and took hold of my inner thighs like last time. I swallowed hard, feeling some of the panic already rising within me, but I chose not to feel it.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded, and Randy lifted me up like before, but this time, he moved more slowly, sliding his knees underneath me and making sure his grip on me was strong.

I put my hands out to hold myself up, and the falling sensation came again, but I chose to focus on the feeling of Randy inside of me, and the sensation didn't seem so bad.

Randy sank in and pulled out slowly. The bumps on the condom rubbed the tissue inside of me, stimulating me in a way that I never thought possible before, and my insides were tingling with sensitivity. I started moaning and closed my eyes, forgetting about the feeling of falling.

 _With Randy, it felt like I was gliding._

The whole time, he never picked up speed. Randy kept his pace slow, calm, and steady. It was like he was trying to remember every single movement exactly as it played out. The feelings inside continued to build until my whole body was shaking. Randy groaned my name and whispered, "Do you want me to stop?"

"No, it feels so good, don't stop," I managed to say.

Randy kept going. I felt like I was on the edge of climax every time Randy moved. It was like nothing I had ever experience with anyone else before. I honestly hoped that Randy was feeling the same way.

I came without warning. It rippled through my body and I felt both exhausted and overjoyed at the same time. Randy came almost immediately after me, but he kept his hold on me, easing me down so I was touching the floor again before he let go.

We both sat for a while and tried to catch our breath. Randy got up first, saying, "This is definitely my new favorite kind of condom," before he pulled it off and tossed it into the trash, then he collapsed into the red sheets of his giant bed.

I stood up and Randy took my hand to pull me into bed with him. We lay there, naked, just staring at each other, and for a moment, I realized something.

I always thought I knew what love was. I loved my family. I loved my friends. I loved pets I had growing up. I loved my Nintendo when I was a kid, I thought I loved Jamie Cruthers, the most popular girl in high school who didn't even know my name, and I definitely always loved wrestling.

But this, this was a different kind of love. The kind you can only share with one other person. The kind that you can't describe to other people because they won't understand until they know it for themselves, and even then, it's different for everybody. This was more than fucking, more than kissing and touching and hugging and petting and having wet dreams and fantasies about.

 _This was what making love really meant. No cheese-fest moment intended._


	28. Chapter 28

28:

Randy and I spent most of the afternoon in his bed.

We weren't having sex, we were just kissing and touching and exploring each other. As professional wrestlers, we had spent years touching each other in the ring, but there was so much more to being with each other now. It was like I was witnessing Randy for the first time, and everything was suddenly new and exciting to me. His touch felt good to me. I wanted to be surrounded by him.

 _And I didn't dare say out loud that we were totally doing a cheese-fest thing._

Randy seemed more deeply involved while he explored me. I watched him staring intently at my body while he touched me in the most plain areas, like there was something amazing there that I couldn't see. I could tell he was drifting in and out of that place inside of his head again, the place where I could never go, and I wanted so badly to ask him what he was thinking about.

It was almost dark out when I sat up and said, "I'm really hungry."

"What do you want? We can go out or eat in," Randy replied, getting up to put his jeans on.

I looked at him and he looked back at me, both of us thinking the same thing.

 _We weren't planning on going anywhere._

"Let's order pizza. I double-heart pizza," I joked.

"God, John, do you have to sound like a seventeen-year-old girl?" Randy returned with his own dry joke.

"You want me to show you my Barbie collection?" I called to him as he left the room.

Randy shook his head and didn't reply. Once he was gone, I grabbed my boxers and put them back on, realizing that my jeans were still somewhere on the stairs, and my t-shirt had been ripped apart by Randy earlier. I found a pair of double doors that led to Randy's closet-also super gigantic-and found one of his dark green Legacy t-shirts with the gas mask on it, the same shirt he wore during our rivalry in 2009. I put it on, anxious to see the look on Randy's face when he saw me wearing it.

I bounded my way downstairs, finding my jeans at the bottom of the steps where Randy had pulled them off earlier. I remembered I hadn't checked my cell phone and I pulled it out, spotting a message for a missed call as soon as the screen lit up.

Checking my messages, I saw a voicemail from Vince. I was going to listen to it, but I heard Randy shout from the kitchen, "John, what do you want on the pizza?"

I put my phone back in my jeans and tossed them back on the foot of the steps. I figured I could just check my messages later.

 _I was supposed to be on vacation, after all._

:-:

"Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!" I ran around in the hallway waving my arms just like Kevin in the beginning of the movie Home Alone.

Randy raised a brow at me and brought the pizzas to the kitchen. I launched into the boxes as soon as he put them down, pulling out four pieces and stacking them on top of each other while I shook my ass and swayed from side-to-side in a makeshift dance. Randy watched me wordlessly for several seconds before curiosity got the better of him and he finally asked, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm doin' the pizza dance," I said, taking a huge bite out of my four layered slice.

Randy scoffed and rolled his eyes at me, mumbling dryly, "I can't believe I just had kinky sex with a guy who does a pizza dance."

I couldn't help myself. I smiled broadly and joked, "I've got a song, too!"

Randy started for me as I began singing loudly, "Piiiizzzzzaaaaaaa! I loooovvveeee piiiiizzzzaaaa!"

"Shut up," Randy tried to grab me, but I pulled away from him and sang even louder.

He grabbed me and pushed me against the kitchen counter, pressing his lips to mine to get me to stop singing. I clutched his shirt and pulled him in close, my insides tingling when I felt him lick the pizza grease off of my lower lip with the tip of his tongue.

I pulled away from him after a few seconds and said, "I can't reach you very well. Wait a minute."

I hopped up on the counter so I could be slightly taller than Randy. He frowned at me, but I grinned broadly and said, "That's better."

He leaned in and stole a few more kisses before he broke away from me and breathed a heavy sigh. I touched my forehead to the side of his face and asked, "What's wrong?"

He smiled legitimately and replied, "Nothing. It's just so perfect right now. Being here with you, no distractions, no extra people, no drama. I want to stay here like this...stay here with you."

I made a wise crack in response, "Did I just hear cheese-fest words coming out of your mouth, Mr. Orton?" 

Randy's smile faded and he blushed with embarrassment, looking away quickly. I realized too late that he wasn't joking about what he had said. Randy almost never showed his emotional side, and when he did, it was usually surrounded by defenses.

 _Then he actually lets his guard down, and I make a fucking joke._

I opened my mouth to apologize, but Randy turned off to leave, calling over his shoulder, "Come on! I want to show you something."

I sheepishly got down from the counter and followed him, forgetting about the pizza because I had just lost my appetite. Randy led me out to the living room with the giant TV, where he lay down on an extra long leather couch and pulled out a huge remote from inside one of the cushions.

"Where do you get all of this stuff?" I stared at the TV in awe.

Randy motioned for me to lay down in front of him, which was easy to do given the couch size. He turned on the TV and reached into the cushion to pull out something else, telling me passively, "It looks like a lot of expense, but it's all about who you know. I probably paid less than half the asking price on everything I own."

He pulled out a DVD seat from in the cushion and handed it to me. I noticed my face was on it right away, and I laughed when I realized it was my John Cena Experience DVD. I opened it up and saw that one of the discs was missing. Randy was busy working the remote so the TV would display DVD settings, which included the missing disc from my set. I noticed a whole range of DVDs listed, but a glance around showed no sign of where the player was even stationed.

"It's built into the wall. Holds fourteen discs at a time," Randy informed me, like he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"What do you need to watch fourteen discs at a time for?" I asked jokingly.

"'Cause I'm lazy and I don't like getting up to change it," Randy answered dryly.

I laughed and asked him, "Why'd you buy my set? You do know that I get paid for your purchase, and so does WWE, so essentially, you're paying for your own paycheck."

He smacked my backside playfully and replied, "Don't be a smartass. I got it mainly for the match between you and I at Summerslam in 2009. I like to watch myself dominating over you in the ring."

"Shut up, you liar! You bought it 'cause you loooovvvveee me!" I elbowed him in the ribs.

Randy just scoffed at me, unwilling to tell me the truth because I was teasing him. He switched off the DVD mode and started flipping channels, and I put the DVD set down on the floor so I could turn back to face Randy. I asked him more seriously, "How long have you thought of me this way?"

I already knew from Bob Orton that Randy had been into me since I started in the business, but I wanted Randy to tell me himself. He stopped flipping channels and let out a frustrated sigh, saying, "I've always been attracted to you, John, but if I had told you in the beginning, it wouldn't have turned out this way."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

Randy looked away like he was about to tell me something difficult, then he cleared his throat and explained truthfully, "When I started in the business, I was young and naïve and angry and stupid. The other wrestlers thought of me as the guy with something to prove or the guy just riding Daddy's coattails. I didn't know what it meant to be with someone, and I was too ambitious to care. In those days, I saw you as something to fuck and conquer."

He locked eyes with me, like he was waiting for me to be mad for revealing the truth. Instead, I asked curiously, "What would've happened if you had fucked me then?"

Randy started to look away, but I moved to keep my gaze with his, so he relented and kept his eyes with mine, telling me frankly, "I probably would've ruined it for the both of us. I would've hurt you and I doubt I would've been able to keep my mouth shut about it. McMahon wouldn't have been as understanding about our situation as he is now, I'm sure."

"When did it change? I mean, when did you think of me this way?" I asked.

It seemed easier for Randy to form the words when he realized I wasn't going to judge him. He explained softly, "It was after I broke away from Evolution. I was alone, and trying to work my way to the top as a solo act. It was harder than anything I had ever done before, and most of the guys thought I was nothing more than a cheap thrill that wouldn't last but two years. Some of them teased me because I didn't understand the words they used to describe things. I felt like an idiot or a nobody around every wrestler I met up with, including the Divas, and it made me angry, but not with you. You treated me like an equal, and I didn't forget that."

I nodded and considered his words. Randy asked me unexpectedly, "Did you ever think of me before?"

Salvaging my memories of the past, I tried to think of an instance before when I was attracted to Randy. I replied honestly after deep consideration, "No."

Randy's emotions faded and he went back to flipping channels, acting like it was no big deal, but I knew full well that it was. I added quickly, "It had nothing to do with you, though. When I came into the business, I wasn't think about anyone else. I just wanted to make my way to the top, and once I was there, I thought I was too busy to have a relationship. When I finally did find out you were attracted to me, though, it made me feel really good."

He lit up all over when he heard that. Randy landed on a random channel and said excitedly, "Oh look! The Marine is on!"

"What? No way!" I complained, seeing myself appear on the screen in cameo paint.

I glared at Randy, but he seemed totally content with watching the movie. I reached for the remote to grab it away from him, shouting angrily, "Do you know how lame it is for me to sit here and watch a marathon of everything I'm featured in?"

"That's right! I do have all your movies on DVD! We could pull an all-nighter," Randy teased, holding the remote away from me.

I stopped fighting for the remote and stated snidely, "I think it's very stalkerish that you bought all of my stuff."

Randy countered with his dry sense of humor, feigning anger as he pointed at the screen, "I like this movie because lots of stuff gets blown up and it has the guy from Terminator 2 in it!"

"You're so weird," I turned away from him and looked at the screen just as my steamy bedroom scene with Kelly Carlson came up.

Randy threw the remote on the floor so I couldn't get to it, then he wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed me tightly, whispering into my ear, "Oh, this is making me all wet for you."

"Shut up! Get off of me!" I yelled, fighting to get out of his grip.

The bedroom scene quickly switched to the kitchen scene, where I was making out with Kelly on the counter and we were both in our underwear. Randy squeezed me even tighter and let out a low groan, saying thickly, "Usually, I would just jack off to this scene, but since you're here this time..."

"Oh my God, you perverted sicko! I knew you were a freak! You just wanted to lure me here so you could have sex with me while watching my movies!" I pretended to be traumatized and continued to try and pull away from him.

He suddenly let go of me, and I rolled off of the couch, falling on the DVD set I had put down earlier. The corner of it jabbed into my neck, and I reached back for it, calling out in surprise, "Ouch!"

"You alright?" Randy became serious.

I sat up and laughed, answering in a mock-angry tone, "You see what you made me do? Now I've got a puncture wound from my own DVD set!"

Randy quickly came down to his knees to inspect the wound, telling me, "It got you right where your scar is and it's bleeding some. Are you in a lot of pain?"

"No," I answered, feeling nothing more than a slight pressure.

"Any tingling? Numbness?" Randy was still concerned.

"No, it's fine. I'm fine," I answered, thinking he was overreacting.

Randy leaned back to look at me, then he replied, "Let me know if it gets worse or if you start to feel dizzy. Opening up scar tissue can sometimes cause problems."

I nodded that I was okay and got back up on the couch. Randy slowly got up to sit next to me, but he was still watching me carefully. I changed the subject, asking, "Can we watch Survivor Series? I want to watch you kick Wade's ass again."

It took him a few more seconds before he revealed a wry grin. Randy rushed over to grab the remote, then he sat down again and searched his DVR list for the right program. I rolled over on my stomach and rested my head in his lap, watching eagerly as we appeared on the screen for the start of the match.

As soon as we were a few seconds in, I started commentating on some of the match, pointing things out random things and making statements about different moves. Randy put the TV on mute so he could listen to me talking, massaging my neck around the puncture would with his left hand while he held the remote loosely in his right hand.

The whole time he didn't say a word, but just laughed when I said something jokingly, or grunted when I said something sarcastic about Wade. The further we got into the match, the more stimulated I felt, both from Randy massaging my neck and from watching the Randy on the screen beating the sense out of Wade. Seeing the look of devastation on Wade's face when Miz came in to steal his title was too much, and I rolled over to face Randy, telling him with a look of longing, "I want to go back upstairs now."

He didn't argue with me. He switched the TV off and grabbed me by the wrist, leading me back up to his room. We collapsed into bed together and I suddenly felt like I couldn't get enough of him as I pinned Randy to the sheets and made out with him furiously. Surprisingly, he didn't fight me, but welcomed my unusual dominance.

It was dark enough that we were mostly using our hands to feel each other out. I pulled off Randy's jeans, and my clothes slid off somewhere between making out and rolling around. We made it close enough to the nightstand that I could feel the drawer of condoms with my hand. I opened it and pulled out the first thing I touched, not bothering to really look at it as I ripped the condom wrapper open with my teeth and quickly put it on.

My eyes were starting to adjust and I could see Randy's face. He started to roll over, but I told him, "I want to see your expression this time."

He stayed where he was and I propped his knees on my shoulders like he did with me in this position, then I leaned forward and slowly put myself in.

Randy closed his eyes and groaned as he felt me on the inside. I started off slowly, finding it easier this time to thrust when I didn't have any Wade or Nexus injuries to hold me back. Randy also widened his eyes with surprise at the amount of strength I was pulling off as I made faster, more deliberate motions.

I felt an odd warmth at the head of my erection that was slowly spreading down my shaft, but I ignored it as building friction and kept going. The more I moved, the warmer I got, until my erection actually started to almost burn.

Slowing my pace, I tried to figure out what was happening without alarming Randy. He became concerned anyway and asked, "What's wrong?"

"There's something...I don't..." I was trying to find the words to explain.

Randy shifted slightly underneath me, saying seriously, "Oh shit."

"What?" I asked, trying to stop myself, but the weird warming sensation provoked me to keep going.

"You put on the firecracker, didn't you?" Randy stated.

"What? You had a firecracker in there?" I was totally confused, aroused, and my dick felt like it might set on fire.

Randy urged me to continue, saying, "Relax, it's not an actual firecracker. It's a condom with a warming effect that's supposed to create an explosive orgasm."

 _I didn't know if I was going to have an explosive orgasm, or an exploded groin._

"Fuck, Randy! I don't know if it hurts or if it's great," I was totally confused and overwhelmingly turned on at the same time.

"Just move faster. It won't feel so hot," Randy told me.

I did as he instructed, and the heat did start to subside. Randy began moaning more loudly than usual, and I assumed he was feeling the same effects. The warmth from the condom was actually sparking the rest of my senses, and everything was put into sharp focus.

The way Randy's lips parted when he moaned stimulated me further. I could see beads of sweat forming on the sides of his head, and I wanted to lick it off. He started moaning my name, and I knew he was going to come, which only made me feel more excited. I could smell his cologne mixed with his sweat mixed with my sweat and I grabbed his hand and put his index finger in my mouth and sucked on it just to hear him moan again, and he tasted like plastic and the leather from his couch, then I dropped his hand and ran my hand over the ripples of his abs and I could feel every muscle and he started to tense and I heard his voice and it was like this really low...OH FUCK!

 _Randy was right. It was an explosive orgasm._

His body writhed underneath me, and I knew he had felt his own orgasm. My ears were pounding and I felt totally exhausted as I quickly pulled out and took the condom off before it burned me again, then I rolled over and breathed a sigh of relief.

Randy chuckled and said, "I'm sorry, I should've warned you about the firecracker."

"I probably wouldn't have believed you," I replied, which only made Randy laugh harder.

My stomach growled loudly and I said frustratingly, "Shit, I gotta eat something or I won't be able to get up again."

"Just grab the whole box and come back up here. I've got something else to show you," Randy teased, and I got up to run downstairs as quickly as possible.

I didn't bother to turn on the lights as I rushed down the stairs, stepping on my jeans when I reached the bottom. I suddenly remembered the voicemail on my phone, so I reached down to pull it out and hit the button to listen to it as I made my way to the kitchen.

I heard McMahon's voice in the message, as I reached for the pizza on the counter, but I stopped when I realized how strained he sounded.

"John, we've got a major problem. Punk and Wade are demanding that you be reinstated as a member of Nexus, or they're going to slap the WWE with so many lawsuits, I'll be forced to shut us down."

I swallowed hard and listened as he continued, his voice cracking, "I don't know what to do, John. I don't want to do this to you. I don't want to have to give you such a tough choice to make, but I'm backed into a corner, here. We're all backed into a corner, and Punk and Wade are not going to give up. Please, if you get this, please, just...consider what I've said, alright?"

He dropped off and the voicemail ended. I just stood there in the dark, suddenly feeling more naked than I already was, unsure of what to do.

I sighed and looked out the two sliding glass doors of the kitchen that led to the backyard. Randy had some security lights along the fence, but most of the yard was shrouded in darkness.

 _It was in that darkness that I saw someone move._


	29. Chapter 29

29:

I hadn't bothered to turn on any lights, so I was sure the person in the backyard hadn't seen me yet. I crept quietly backward to the hallway and ran as fast as I could back to the stairs to get my jeans. I threw them on and looked up just in time to see a dark figure standing at the top of the stairs.

Startled, I took a step back, then I realized it was Randy when he called down to me, "What's taking you so long?"

"Someone is outside in the backyard, watching the house," I tried to keep my voice low, unsure if there could be other people somewhere inside.

Randy rushed down the steps and we walked together back to the kitchen as he asked with concern, "Did they see you?"

"I don't think so, I didn't turn any lights on," I said.

"Okay, I can handle this. I need you to stay against the wall with me," Randy said.

I nodded and we both went into the kitchen, moving along the wall to get around to the glass doors. Randy stopped just a few feet from the doors, so I halted as well. He reached for a panel on the wall, opening it and pressing several buttons like a code.

Without warning, a dozen spotlights lit up the entire backyard from above, and the sprinkler system below went off all across the lawn. The person in the yard jumped out from their hiding place, becoming drenched with water as they fell on the ground. They were wearing a hooded sweatshirt and I couldn't tell whom it was. Randy yanked open the glass doors and rushed out into the yard, ignoring being drenched himself as he tackled the person on the ground and aimed for a good punch.

Randy hesitated, and I knew for sure it wasn't anyone from Nexus. He spoke to the person on the ground for several seconds, then Randy stood up and helped the person to their feet. I recognized Gabriel's beard peeking out from under his hood once he was on his feet, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hit 4 on the panel to stop the lights and water, John," Randy instructed me.

I did as he said and the lights and sprinklers faded. Both Randy and Gabriel were completely soaked when they walked into the kitchen, but Randy was only in a pair of jeans, and I couldn't help noticing how sexy he looked in wet jeans with water dripping down the rest of his body.

Randy hit the lights and caught me staring at him. My cheeks felt hot and I quickly turned my attention to Gabriel, asking, "Why are you spying on us?"

Gabriel immediately went on the defensive, explaining, "I was not spying! I was searching to make certain that I had not been followed!"

"What do you mean, followed? Nobody's here but us," Randy insisted.

Gabriel sighed with frustration and explained, "You two have missed so much since you left. Mr. McMahon was worried the WWE would have to be shut down if Wade pushed his legal complaints through, so he has given Wade everything he asked for. Punk has been re-hired to the Nexus. I am also being forced to rejoin Nexus, and now they are asking for John to return as a member of Nexus to complete their list of demands."

Randy folded his arms like he wasn't sure Gabriel's words were true. I confessed, "I just checked my voicemail. Vince called to tell me that Wade was asking me to come back to Nexus or the entire WWE will be taking the fall."

I could see the anger in Randy's eyes as he glared at me and stated, "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I just found out when I saw someone in the yard!" I argued.

Randy ignored me for a moment and looked at Gabriel, asking pointedly, "If you're back with Nexus, why are you here?"

Gabriel explained quietly, "I was returned to Nexus several hours ago. They believe that I have betrayed them, and Punk was going to unleash them on me, but Wade told him not to. Wade took me to another room alone and we talked about what happened. He said that his intention was not to hurt me and I forced myself to pretend that I enjoyed what he did to me so that he would not give me back to Punk."

I swallowed hard when I saw the pain in Gabriel's eyes. He continued, his voice strained, "I have persuaded him to believe that I have been spending time with both of you to gather information. He has assigned me to watch over John to keep him from rebelling like he did before. Wade told me to come for John and make certain that the two of you get to the next arena tomorrow. I did not believe that he would trust me to come alone and he would send someone from Nexus to follow me, but I have been searching and found no one else."

The three of us stood there and considered our situation. Gabriel started shaking slightly underneath his wet clothes, so Randy motioned for Gabriel to follow and said, "I've got some clothes upstairs you can wear. You'll stay here with us tonight."

:-:

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

We went upstairs and Gabriel got this dopey look on his face like he had never seen so much detail in a bedroom before. I explained to Gabriel, "You can sleep wherever you want. I've got plenty of bedrooms."

"I would like to stay in here, on the floor. I am afraid to be alone," Gabriel replied.

 _I didn't like that idea at all. I wasn't finished spending time with John yet._

John sat down at the side of the bed and said, "I don't mind if Gabriel stays in here tonight."

I gave John a sideways look. I knew that he was feeling for Gabriel's sob story, but having him stay in the same room was a step over my boundaries. John's eyes told me that he wasn't going to relent, though, so I took a deep sigh and pointed at the recliner by the far wall, telling Gabriel, "You can sleep over there."

He nodded and I opened the closet to look for some clothes, asking Gabriel, "Are Wade and Punk going to put John back into Nexus tomorrow?"

"Yes, that is their plan," Gabriel answered.

John added unexpectedly, "And I'm going to go with them."

The fury inside boiled up so fast, I couldn't restrain myself from shouting, "What the fuck?!"

Gabriel jumped and took a step back away from me. John stayed calm, informing me, "I've already made my decision. It's for the best."

I came out and shoved the dry clothes into Gabriel's arms, telling him, "You can use the bathroom down the hall. It's more private."

Gabriel got the message that I was telling him to disappear for a while and he quickly left the room. I waited until I heard Gabriel's footsteps fade down the hall before I stormed over to John, shouting angrily, "What the hell are you thinking?" 

John gave me a hard look and answered, "I don't want to fight you about this. If I don't go back to Nexus, our industry, our careers, our whole lives are over. I can't let that happen."

I started pacing the room, seething, "That's not all there is. You're hiding something from me and I want to know what it is."

John refused to answer me. I stopped close to him and leaned down so we were face-to-face, then I asked darkly, "What are you hiding from me, John?"

"I don't want to talk about this," he turned away from me and rolled over onto the bed.

I wasn't thinking when I grabbed John and turned him back over, pinning him down hard against the bed so he would look me in the eyes.

"WHAT ARE YOU HIDING FROM ME?" I yelled violently.

He stared right back at me. His voice was calm but bold when he stated, "Let go. You're hurting me."

I looked down and realized I was digging my nails deeply into his arms.

 _Oh God, I was making John bleed._

I instantly let him go and moved back to my feet. John sat up slowly, and I was overwhelmed with guilt.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" I started to say.

"I want you to sleep in another room tonight," John answered.

My insides felt like they had been torn apart. I wanted so badly to change the last few seconds, but I knew there was no way I could. I didn't know how to react, and Gabriel walked in at that moment, igniting the only emotion that came to me when nothing else would.

"Fuck!" I shouted to ease the frustration.

John rolled over to face away from me and said nothing. Gabriel went to the recliner on the far side of the room and stayed away from me as I angrily made my way to my closet, dropped my went pants and exposed myself completely while looking for a pair of boxers to wear for the night.

I knew Gabriel could see me, but I didn't care. I found what I wanted and left the room, making sure to slam the door almost off its hinges on my way out.

:-:

 ** _-_ _Inside Justin Gabriel's Head_ _-_**

I was quiet for a long time after Randy left. I was afraid he would come back and yell again. He did not, and I tried to settle myself to fall asleep. I thought that John was already sleeping, but he rolled over to face me and said, "Come and sleep on the bed."

"I do not think Randy would like that," I told him.

John clicked his tongue and said, "Don't worry about what he likes. This bed is huge, and if you sleep on that recliner and throw out your back, you won't be able to compete and Nexus is gonna be worse than they already are."

When I did not get up, John smiled and added as a joke, "I'm pretty sure I won't try anything on you."

I laughed. John was right about what Nexus would do, so I got up and came to the bed. It was big and soft and easy to spread out in. John was still very far from me on the other side because the bed was very wide. He looked at me when I was settled and said, "I need you to do something for me."

"What would that be?" I asked.

John made a very serious face and answered, "I need you to follow along with me when we're with Nexus. Doesn't matter what I say or what I'm doing, or if it's not like me at all, I just need you to go with it and make it seem legitimate."

"I can do that," I said.

"Are you sure? I need to be able to count on you, Justin," he replied.

"Yes, I can do it, if you do the same for me," I told him honestly.

John let out a sigh and replied, "Glad we're on the same page."

:-:

 **- Inside Justin Gabriel's Head-**

It was very late in the night when I heard the bedroom door creak.

I stayed still and acted as though I were still asleep. I listened for the intruder making their way across the room. I barely opened my eyes and I could see John facing me on his side. He was still very far away from me on the other side of the bed. The intruder was coming around to get to John, and I held my breath.

There was a light on in the ceiling. It made a soft glow around John, and when the intruder leaned in above John, I could see that the intruder was Randy.

Randy's skin was cast in the glow of the light, and his tattoos glinted like dark wings folded along his back and arms. He appeared like an angel, come to save the weary fighter. Randy's face was one of deep love and sadness for John. He very slowly lay down behind John, watching him with longing but unable to disturb the slumber of his lover.

I continued to act as though I were asleep. I did not want to disturb either man. I watched with mostly closed eyes as John surprisingly reached up and took the arm of Randy to pull around him. Randy made wide eyes when he saw that John was awake. John kept his eyes closed, but said in a quiet voice of near-sleep, "I thought you'd be back sooner."

Randy's emotions overwhelmed his face. He replied in a broken tone, "I felt too bad about what I did. I never, ever want to hurt you like that again."

John did not reply to that, but instead explained, "I need you to trust me. When I don't tell you things, it's not to hurt you. I just have to figure it out before I pass it along."

"I do trust you, John, more than anyone," Randy said, kissing the temple of John's head.

"I need you to do something else for me," John told Randy.

"Anything," Randy replied.

John still did not open his eyes when he made the statement, "I need you to act like our relationship is falling apart. I need you to do everything you can to make Nexus and Wade believe it, but especially Punk."

Tears came from Randy's eyes and fell down his cheeks. I had never seen Randy Orton weeping before. He appeared broken and said, "I can't do that, John, I can't."

John finally opened his eyes. He moved on his back to face Randy. They held each other and Randy kissed John's lips many times, like a desperate man being torn from the only one he desires.

They separated their lips and Randy held back his tears. John told him in a soft voice, "We have to do this to stop Nexus for good. I have a handle on Wade, but Punk doesn't care about me. If you can make him think you're done with me, he'll have to change his plans, and if you can get on his good side, you can find a way to beat him."

Randy made a nod of understanding, but said sadly, "I don't know if I can pull it off."

"I know you can. Do it for me," John told him.

Randy closed his eyes and put his head against John's chest. He said with all honesty, "I love you, John."

"I love you, too," John said, closing his own eyes to sleep.

:-:

Everyone was quiet on the way to the arena the next morning. Randy didn't drive like a speed demon, and Gabriel seemed to be off in his own world throughout the drive. I couldn't think of anything to say myself.

As soon as we got there, we saw wrestlers and Divas standing around with confused and distraught looks on their faces, like a bomb had just gone off and everyone was alright, but they were completely traumatized after the fact. Randy deliberately walked over to talk to Teddy, while Gabriel and I kept going to find Nexus.

We walked down an abandoned hallway in the arena until we saw a door labeled: NEXUS. Gabriel opened it first and looked inside. He nodded for me to follow him and we walked into the room. I was expecting everyone to be there, but the room was empty except for Wade, who was sitting in a chair, lacing up his boots as casually as if it were any other day.

 _It was weird to see him being so...normal._

I hadn't laid eyes on Wade in a while. Some part of me was expecting him to leap out of his chair and charge me. After what I remembered from the day I was drugged, I almost felt like he knew that I had uncovered the memory and he was going to flip out and try to kill me.

But he didn't. In fact, he didn't even look up to acknowledge that we had walked in.

"John is here, Wade. He has agreed to come back to Nexus," Gabriel said, his tone stronger than it usually was.

I knew that Gabriel was acting differently to prove himself to Wade. I played along, saying with an edge of reluctance in my voice, "I know that this is best for the WWE. I'll do anything to make sure that it stays that way."

Wade finally looked up. He locked eyes with me and said, "Don' patronize me, Cena. We all know you don' want to be par' of The Nexus."

I nodded, replying, "That is true, but if it threatens the WWE not to be a part of Nexus, then I'll do what I have to do."

Wade made a wry half-smile and asked, "Even if tha' means turnin' heel on your fans?"

I hadn't expected that. Gabriel turned to look at me and wordlessly willed me to comply with his gaze. I shrugged and answered, "Whatever it takes."

Wade stared at me. I was sure he didn't believe a word I said, then he suddenly laughed loudly and replied, "Well, in tha' case, you'll be stayin' in my hotel rooms from now on."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Gabriel cut me off when he looked at Wade and said, "I will be joining you. We will have two beds and you will sleep on one. John and I will share the other bed."

Wade looked at Gabriel with a surprised expression and asked, "Wha'? Why would Cena want to sleep with you?"

"Randy Orton and John have parted ways. John is with me now," Gabriel stated.

 _WHAT THE FUCK?!_

I didn't dare react on the outside, but my insides were screaming. I had no clue Gabriel was going to play an angle like this. Wade narrowed his eyes at me and asked, "Is this true?"

There was no turning back now. I nodded and answered simply, "Yes, yes it is."

Scoffing, Wade replied almost to himself, "Never though' Third Place would give up this one."

Gabriel stepped forward and stated angrily at Wade, "This means that you will do nothing to John. He is mine and you will honor that, or I will not keep your secrets any longer."

Wade stared at Gabriel seriously. I just stood there, thinking there was no way Wade would fall for this. Remarkably, Wade nodded and said, "Very well. Cena is off-limits."

 _I couldn't believe it. I couldn't fucking believe it._


	30. Chapter 30

30:

 _I still couldn't fucking believe it._

Wade left to find Punk while Gabriel and I went in the opposite direction. Wade thought we were going off to spend some time alone together, but in reality, Gabriel and I were about to let Randy in on the situation.

 _He was gonna be so pissed._

We passed the groups of wrestlers and Divas gathering in the hallway, hanging out to pass the time before the show started. I caught sight of Randy leaning against the wall by himself with his arms folded and his eyes closed.

I didn't want to look obvious and reach out to him. Gabriel must've been thinking the same thing, because he slowed his pace but didn't make a move. We got closer to Randy, but he didn't open his eyes. I stared at him, willing him to look at me.

We were almost past him when he finally opened his eyes and looked right at me. I gave him a deliberate gaze as we passed and Randy waited a few seconds before starting after us. Gabriel casually rounded the corner and slipped into an empty room away from the crowd. I followed after him, and Randy joined us a few seconds later, closing the door tightly before he turned to face us.

"So...what the hell is going on?" Randy asked, folding his arms again.

I used my best calm voice to explain, "Gabriel told Wade that you and I are broken up, and I am with Gabriel now."

 _Here's the part where Randy's going to launch himself into Gabriel in a fit of rage._

Astonishingly, Randy nodded his head and said simply, "I see."

"What? That's it?" I asked, confused.

Randy lifted a brow at me, asking sarcastically, "What? Do you want me to kick Gabriel in the skull?"

"Well, no, but...geez, I thought you'd at least put up some kind of a fight," I pouted.

Randy gave me a short smile, but Gabriel interrupted us by saying, "We do not have much time. John, we must make our relations very real when we are in front of Wade. He is a very mistrusting man. He will be watching our movements."

"Why does it matter? Just don't act affectionate when you're around him," Randy pointed out.

I explained morosely, "It's not that easy. Wade's made it so that Gabriel and I have to stay in his hotel room every night from now on."

Randy's eyes widened and his jaw set. Gabriel didn't give him time to argue, but added quickly, "Wade will not do anything to hurt John, but he will only honor this if I have proven to him that John and I are truly together."

"Well, you're not fucking him so that's off the table," Randy said in what sounded like a joking tone, but I could tell from his gaze that he was more serious than he wanted me to know.

 _Did he really think Gabriel would try to fuck me?_

I was taken out of my thoughts when Gabriel turned his attention to me and said, "John, we should practice our _way_ with each other. It will be easier when we must be in front of Wade."

"I don't know about this," I shook my head.

Gabriel became offended, asking angrily, "Do you not think that I am capable of making this work?"

I put up a hand in defeat, answering, "It's not you that I'm worried about, it's me."

Gabriel and Randy both gave me looks of confusion, so I explained to Gabriel, "This probably isn't a big deal for you, but for me, I don't have a clue. I've never thought about being with a guy this way until Randy, and frankly, I don't ever want to think of being with any other guy besides Randy."

I glanced at Randy and he flushed, hiding behind a half-smile as he looked away. I looked back at Gabriel and went on, saying, "I don't know how to be this way with another guy. It's nothing personal to you, it's just...I don't want to fuck this up, but I don't know if I can do this right."

Gabriel was quiet for a moment, then he gave me a sideways glance and stated, "Have you not thought of someone else when kissing a person, John Cena?"

I scoffed, replying, "Well, yeah, I mean, during my teenage years I was never thinking about the girl I was making out with."

Gabriel nodded and came close to me, explaining, "That is what you do when you are with me. You think of Randy. You make a picture in your mind."

He reached out and took my forearm in his hand, continuing, "When I touch you, you think of Randy's touch. If it is not enough, you remember his scent. You remember the way that he tastes. This will help you to make believe that it is Randy with you and not me."

Gabriel suddenly leaned in to kiss me, and I pulled away quickly. He let go of my arm and cursed with frustration. I let out a sigh of my own and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going to do that."

Gabriel turned to me and argued, "That is the purpose, John! You are not intended to know when I am going to kiss you! That is the only way to make Wade convinced of our relations!"

This was so not working. I looked at Randy and he said, "I think I have an idea."

Gabriel and I both perked up. Randy motioned for Gabriel to come close to me again, then Randy did as well. Randy held up my arm with one hand to demonstrate as he explained to Gabriel, "If you want John to think it's me, you'll have to do some things like I do, but mostly in your own style, so Wade doesn't know the difference. For example, when you touch him, you start with your fingertips, then you drift down until your entire palm is against his skin before you wrap your fingers around and you take your grip on him."

Randy showed Gabriel by slowly drifting his hand over my arm and grasping it like he had explained.

 _His touch made my spine tingle._

Gabriel leaned in closely to observe. Randy let go of my arm and took Gabriel's arm, doing the same thing to him so that Gabriel could feel the action for himself. I noticed a glimmer in Gabriel's eyes when Randy touched him, but I ignored it and waited for Randy to explain more.

Letting go of Gabriel, Randy again demonstrated on me, explaining, "When you want to kiss John, you don't go in too fast, or you'll upset him. For a quick kiss, you put your hands on either side of his head before you come in to take one."

Randy put his hands on my head and leaned in, clutching my lips for a second before pulling away quickly. The kiss was too fast to truly enjoy it, and my stomach lurched like the butterflies in it all died at once. Randy let go of me and proceeded to demonstrate on Gabriel. I watched as he cupped Gabriel's face, leaned in, and gave him a quick kiss like he had done to me.

 _Uh...objection?_

A sudden wave of jealousy rushed through my veins, and I couldn't help tensing up and locking my jaw at the sight of Randy kissing Gabriel, even though the moment was a mere two seconds long, and Randy instantly let go and moved away like it was nothing more to him than a hello kiss. I looked at Gabriel and I saw something in his expression that I knew all too well.

 _He was more into Randy than I originally thought, and that kiss had made him as happy as Randy made me._

"I don't know if I like this," I mumbled bitterly.

"I haven't done the slow kiss yet," Randy said, which only fired me up even more.

Gabriel straightened up as Randy came close to me, and I suddenly forgot all about my jealousy. With his predatory blue-green eyes, Randy looked me up and down like I was his only desire, then he leaned in as he explained quietly, "If you want John to really feel it, you have to tease him. Make him think you're going for it, then hesitate just before you touch his lips, like you need a moment to consider..."

Randy stopped just before my lips and hovered there, still staring straight into my eyes. Even though he was explaining exactly what he was doing, I could still feel my insides burning with anticipation for him to kiss me.

Finally, he pressed his lips to mine, and he lingered there for almost ten seconds before he let go and pulled away. I was dizzy with all the excitement he gave me, but then Randy broke eye contact with me to look at Gabriel, and I became alert with jealousy again.

Randy surprised me when he said, "Alright, now you two try the slow kiss on each other."

"What? Now? Why?" I blurted out.

Randy argued with me, "Don't be a wuss, Cena. Step up and be a man...kissing another man!"

He chuckled at his own joke, but I just glared at him. Gabriel came closer to me and said, "We should try to do it, John."

"Fine, whatever," I huffed, waiting for Gabriel to kiss me.

He started to lean in, and I mumbled as an afterthought, "Is your beard going to scratch me?"

Randy laughed and I glared at him again, feeling angry that he was enjoying this so much. Gabriel let out a short laugh himself and replied, "I'm sorry if it does."

"Yeah, well, I'll just think of it like kissing a dog," I said, and Randy laughed even harder.

Gabriel loudly cleared his throat and Randy straightened up, letting us do our thing. I waited and Gabriel started for me again, and I had to strain to fight the severe urge to pull away.

 _Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy..._

Gabriel parted his lips and inched his way closer.

 _Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy..._

Gabriel halted just before my lips and stared into my eyes. His eyes were an odd shade of greenish-hazel. Unique, but nothing like Randy's.

 _Randy, Randy, fuck...Randy, Randy, fuck...Randy, Randy..._

It was becoming too hard to focus. I almost pulled away when Gabriel finally pressed his lips to mine...and it was...it was...

 _Not as bad as I thought._

His beard was thick enough to be soft instead of scratchy, but it kind of tickled my chin, and I had to fight the urge to laugh. His lips were smaller than Randy's and the pressure of his kiss was not as intense, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant, either. I rudely kept my eyes open while Gabriel closed his, trying his best to imitate a romantic kiss. I glanced over at Randy and he motioned with his head, wordlessly urging me to at least try to be as romantic as Gabriel.

I rolled my eyes and closed them, picturing Randy in my mind, trying to remember the way he tasted, trying to convince myself that it was Randy's lips I were touching.

 _I'm not feeling this._

I was about to pull away, when suddenly the door burst open. It took Gabriel a second to part lips with me, and I knew that, whomever it was, they had caught us in the act.

Whirling around to face them, I was hit with a sense of relief, as well as a new wave of anger.

Punk and Wade both stared at Gabriel and I with eyes like saucers. Randy instantly went into his own mode of acting, pretending like he was furious with what he had just seen as he yelled at me, "I can't fucking believe this!"

Randy stormed over and grabbed a nearby table, flipping it over dramatically before he stormed back to me and argued, "You can't be with him!"

I had to quickly put myself into acting mode, which wasn't easy when I was so startled by Randy having to turn heel on me. I stated back to him, "I said we're through, and that's it. I want you to leave now."

Randy let his mouth hang open like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. My insides felt like they were being crushed just looking at him, but I held back my pain, trying to make the whole scene play out in front of Punk and Wade as legitimately as possible.

"John, please," Randy said, his voice pleading.

 _Oh God, I can't take this._

I knew he was acting, but his tone sounded so real, it took everything I had to say to him, "It's over. Leave."

Randy screamed furiously, "FUCK THIS!"

Gabriel and Punk both jumped from the sound, then Randy's expression turned furious as he charged out of the room.

Once he was gone, Punk turned his attention to me, and for a moment, I was sure he was going to start laughing with the realization that it was all a play.

Instead, Punk let out a howl of astonishment and stated, "Well, I was about to come in here and say this wasn't real, but looks like I came just in time!"

"I told ya Gabriel wouldn' lie to us," Wade said, but Punk ignored him.

"So how's it going, John Boy? How's your eye?" Punk asked, frowning with mock concern.

I opened my mouth to make a wisecrack response, but Gabriel came to my defense instead, pointing at Punk and stating, "You will treat him with respect, Brooks!"

I had never heard anyone call Punk by his real last name before. Punk narrowed his eyes at Gabriel as if hearing his real last name angered him, then a wave of calm washed away his entire expression and Punk replied simply, "Ah, a defensive stance coming from the boy who helped to get me fired just a couple of days ago."

Gabriel became even more angry, shouting, "You will not throw these things back into my face! I have made my amends and I have brought Cena back to you as you asked for! You will forgive me now!"

Punk smiled slightly, his dark eyes gazing right through Gabriel like he was made of little more than the air around him. Punk turned his attention back to me and asked condescendingly, "Any last requests before you officially re-join Nexus for tonight's event?"

"I just have one question for you, if you don't mind," I said.

Punk frowned a little like he was trying to decide if I were worth his time, then he shrugged and replied, "Alright, I suppose I don't mind answering _one_ question."

He emphasized it like he was telling me he would never answer another question again.

 _I didn't care, I just wanted to know the answer to the most important one._

I took in a deep breath, stared straight at Punk and asked blatantly, "So when I saw Wade going down on you on the roof of that hotel, was it a gay thing, or was it some kind of a bet?"

Wade's eyes went wide. Gabriel froze. Punk's face fell so hard, I thought it would slip off.

"YOU FUCKING CUNT!" Punk roared furiously as he lunged at me.

Both Gabriel and Wade grabbed Punk and pulled him away before he could reach me. I was amazed at how badly he was reacting. Punk screamed at me, "I'll kill you, Cena! I'll fucking kill you!"

Wade opened the door and shoved Punk out to the hall. He hit the wall and it knocked the air out of him, stifling his angry outcries so the other wrestlers didn't overhear. Punk quickly got back to his feet and took off down the hall. Wade pointed back at me and stated, "Get to the Nexus locker. I wan' you dressed out an' actin' like you are strollin' the line between face an' heel at ringside."

"What about my question?" I argued, waiting for Wade to answer me.

He cracked a wry smile, strangely unaffected by my question as he replied, "We'll talk about tha' another time."

Wade gave Gabriel a quick glance before leaving to go after Punk. I suddenly realized that what I had said had also unintentionally affected Gabriel.

 _He believed he had been Wade's only source of release, and I had just unceremoniously taken that belief away from him._

"Gabriel, I..."

He interrupted me by saying, "We need to get to Nexus. It is imperative we do as Wade says."

I nodded and Gabriel left the room. I followed him to the separate locker room reserved for Nexus, and as soon as we walked in, it was obvious we were as well liked as athlete's foot.

Husky Harris elbowed McGillicutty in the arm and stated loudly, "Looks like the Sheriff's back in town!"

Otunga added snidely, "And he's brought his little Deputy!"

All of Nexus laughed except for Slater, who was hunched over by the far wall, quietly lacing up his boots.

 _I was surprised he wasn't the one cracking the jokes._

Gabriel and I made our way to the other side of the room, trying to stay as far away from the other members as we could, even if it were only a couple of yards. Harris, McGillicutty and Otunga started whispering amongst themselves and laughing from time to time, trying to unnerve us, but Gabriel and I kept our cool, acting like we heard nothing at all.

McGillicutty pulled off his t-shirt and very deliberately tossed it our way so that it fell over Gabriel's head. The trio laughed as Gabriel yanked the shirt off of his head and pulled it defiantly apart until it tore in half. McGillicutty started for Gabriel, shouting angrily, "Hey, that's my favorite shirt!"

I stood up to defend Gabriel, but Slater came over and shouted at McGillicutty, "Let it go, or I'm gonna make you tell Punk and Wade why we're late."

McGillicutty swallowed hard like Slater's words were more than just an idle threat and backed off. Gabriel came around me and said quietly, "Thank you, Slater."

Slater didn't even acknowledge me, but gave Gabriel a disheartened look before he mumbled, "Whatever," and walked back to his place by the far wall.

Nexus finished dressing out and left down the hall on their way to the stage. Gabriel and I stayed back, and I took the opportunity to ask Gabriel quietly so that no one else could hear me, "What's with you and Slater?"

Gabriel hung his head and answered sadly, "He is...was a very good friend to me. He blames me for the trouble that has been caused. I know he thinks that I have betrayed him."

I hadn't realized until that moment how much Gabriel had been affected by Wade, Punk and The Nexus. All this time, I thought that I was the one in servitude, but Gabriel had essentially been through everything that I had been through and more, taking the full brunt of my rebellion and feeling the damaging effects of the waves I had created.

It was Wade's obsession with me that had caused him to use and abuse Gabriel. It was Randy who Gabriel truly wanted a shot with, but Randy was with me instead. It was Slater whom Gabriel had befriended, but my rebellion destroyed their friendship.

 _I had ruined his career, his friendship, his relationship and his potential as a member of the WWE, and yet he was still standing beside me._

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. I'm sorry that I asked that question to Punk in front of you," I said, feeling an overwhelming amount of guilt.

Gabriel kept his head down, but asked me softly, "Was the question based on truth?"

I let out a long sigh and replied, "Yes, it is. It happened a few weeks ago, when I went out looking for Randy and I saw Wade and Punk instead. They drugged me so I didn't remember what I saw until recently."

Nexus stopped just behind the stage, waiting for the entrance music to beckon us forward. Gabriel looked at me and whispered, "Did it happen before or after Wade punished you with his belt?"

I became confused, so Gabriel explained quietly, "After Wade hurt you and you ran away from him, he came to my room. It was our first night together."

 _My overwhelming guilt had just somehow doubled._

"It was...after," I confessed.

Gabriel did not say another word. He just stared blankly ahead, like he was all out of reactions.

:-:

Wade had me stand at ringside and watch as The Nexus did a five-on-five tag match against R-Truth, Morrison, Daniel Bryan, Santino and Koslov. I was supposed to pace back and forth and appear conflicted, making the audience unable to guess which side I was rooting for to win.

I could hear them chanting my last name. They wanted me to interfere and stop Wade. Cole and King bantered back-and-forth at the announce table, trying to cause more confusion as to which side I was truly on.

The audience didn't like it. They started booing me when I wouldn't interfere. As Nexus gained the upper hand, the audience booed even louder, angered by my decision to stand idly by while Wade took over the match. Then Punk came out and sauntered his way over to me. He was smart enough to keep his stage face on, never betraying the slightest hint that an hour earlier he had called me a fucking cunt and threatened to end my life.

Punk pretended to be analyzing me as a future prospect in his twisted games. I altered between being put off and morbidly curious, promoting further confusion and making the audience more restless. They began chanting, "Cena sucks! Cena sucks! Cena sucks!"

 _No let's go Cena this time. Just the sucks part._

The stress was building inside of me. I didn't like confusing my fans like this. I didn't like the satisfied grin on Punk's face as he witnessed my inner conflict, knowing there was nothing I could do about it. Wade suddenly turned to the ref and whispered something in his ear. The ref pointed at me and said, "Cena, Wade wants you out!"

I was legitimately surprised, but I emphasized it for the crowd. They cheered at the prospect of me leaving, and I gave Punk a hard stare before storming back up the ramp and away from the chaos.

As soon as I stepped past the curtains of the stage, I felt a flood of emotions that I couldn't control. Fortunately, the match was not scheduled to end for another ten minutes, so I knew I had at least that much time to get away. I took off down an abandoned hallway and searched around until I found a room that was difficult to get to. I closed the door and stood there for a few minutes, staring at the stacks of chairs and wooden tables that were stored against the far wall.

Then, I went nuts.

I threw the chairs violently against the wall. I took some chairs and bent the legs with my bare hands. I picked up the tables and threw them over my head, making them crash against the wall. I set up more tables and kicked holes into them. I stomped on the splintered pieces and screamed out every curse word I could think of, then I made up some when I realized I hadn't expelled my anger enough.

Everything was smashed by the time I was done. I wandered over to the far corner and plopped down on a pile of wooden table pieces and drew my knees up, putting my head in my hands as I went from boiling rage to uncontrollable sobs.

I didn't know how long it was before the tears wouldn't come anymore and I looked up. I saw Randy standing in the center of the room in his wrestling trunks and lathered in baby oil, like he was waiting for his match to start. I thought he might be a hallucination, but I still rubbed my eyes and said weakly, "Hey."

His eyes focused on me intently, and I knew he wasn't a hallucination. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, like he was trying to choose one of a million things he wanted to say to me, then he blinked slowly and said simply, "Hey."

Randy stayed where he was for several long seconds, then he slowly made his way over to me, gazing over the debris that I had left in my wake. I chuckled exhaustively and mentioned, "I guess I lost my mind a little bit."

"Yeah, I can see that," he replied, taking a seat next to me on the pile of table.

I turned to face him and confessed, "I can't do this. I can't pretend that I don't love you to appease Wade. I can't make out with Gabriel like we're the new hot couple. I can't look at Punk and act like I appreciate the shit he throws in my face. I can't be a member of Nexus and betray my fans when Wade tells me to turn heel on them, which I know he'll do because he knows how much they mean to me."

Randy didn't say a word. Maybe he knew that I didn't want him to. He just put his arm around me, and I rested my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes so I could just be in this moment with him, breathing him in and feeling his warmth over me and listening to the soft thudding of his heartbeat.

The hardest thing wasn't knowing that he would have to let me go in a few minutes. It was not knowing when I would be able to spend the night with him again.


	31. Chapter 31

31:

I woke up not knowing where I was.

As a professional wrestler, most of my life was spent waking up in a different place, but this time, I truly felt the discomfort of being in a foreign environment.

 _Where's Randy? I want Randy._

I sat up and looked around. Gabriel was lying next to me, his face buried in the pillows that muffled the gibberish he was speaking in his sleep. The sheets smelled rancid and the air was stale. I could hear the shower running and it took me almost a full minute to realize that it was Wade taking the shower.

 _I want Randy._

Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I struggled to stand up. I felt sluggish and unmotivated, and I was still confused. I mumbled to myself, "Where the fuck is my bag?"

 _God, I really want Randy._

Shuffling across the floor like a lazy kid, I grumbled to myself as I looked for my bag. A sudden wave of panic hit me when I realized that I had left it out the night before, and Wade could have easily gone through it. I searched more eagerly and found it in the chair by the far wall, but a thorough investigation of it revealed nothing amiss.

 _I'll die if I don't see Randy. I'm such a dramatic idiot, but I really want Randy._

With Wade in the shower and Gabriel still fast asleep, I figured I had at least twenty minutes of alone time. I had been trying to fit in my workouts every day, something that had become increasingly difficult with all the drama going on, so I decided to take the time to find the hotel gym and work out my frustrations before I did something I regretted.

 _Maybe I'll get lucky and Randy's room will happen to be right inside the gym._

Every step I took seemed to weigh me down further. I didn't even bother to put on a shirt as I wandered morosely down the hallway to find the gym. I realized my mistake too late when every single person walking by happened to notice that my physique was a bit unique.

 _Sometimes I wished I could be like Popeye and my muscles would be totally deflated when out in public. Then again, I was never much for pipe smoking._

I suddenly realized that even my thoughts weren't making much sense anymore. I finally found the gym and walked inside, glancing around to make sure there weren't anymore gawking folks around to stare at me. Thankfully, the gym was empty except for R-Truth.

 _And Randy on the treadmill._

Randy was jogging on the treadmill when he looked up at me, and at the same time my heart skipped a beat, he skipped a step and gripped the side handles to steady himself so he wouldn't go flying into the wall.

 _It was like something out of a dopey romantic comedy. I totally want to be Cameron Diaz._

"Hey, man! How's it going!" R-Truth greeted me with a huge hug.

Randy pretended like he barely registered I was there. R-Truth thankfully didn't notice the stupid moment we just had and let me go, saying, "Come and work out for a minute! I want to talk to you."

"Yeah, okay," I said, following R-Truth to the far corner of the room.

I started working on the Smith machine while R-Truth took a couple of dumbbells and worked out next to me. Randy continued to act nonchalant from across the room, but he kept making sideways glances at me and I couldn't help smiling.

 _He was totally checking me out._

I tried to make my movements more slow and deliberate for his benefit. I wanted to laugh because we had worked out in the same vicinity plenty of times in the past, but this was the first time it really meant something.

Randy turned up the treadmill and started jogging faster. He was working up a thin layer of sweat and it was making his tattoos gleam.

 _I am so turned on right now._

"Cena? You in the zone or can I say something?" R-Truth asked me suddenly, making me lose my focus.

I stumbled slightly and almost landed on my ass. Randy gave me another sideways glance and half-smiled. R-Truth shook his head at me and stated, "Man, you've been with Nexus too long. You don't even know how to work out anymore!"

Frowning, I argued under my breath, "It's not Nexus that's messing me up."

R-Truth ignored me and continued, saying in a low tone so Randy didn't overhear, "The other guys in the locker room and I have been talkin' about all this. We want you to know that, if you need anything, we'll be there. We know what you did for us, joining Nexus to keep everything on the up and up, and we want to return the favor if you need it. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean," I responded, and R-Truth gave me a big, white toothed smile.

:-:

The three of us went to the small locker room adjacent to the gym when we finished working out. R-Truth took four minutes to take a quick shower, change his clothes and leave.

 _It was the longest four minutes of my damn life._

As soon as he was gone, Randy made his way slowly over to me. I pretended to be totally immersed in my gym bag and I acted completely apathetic when Randy wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his groin up against my backside. He slid his lips across my left outer ear and whispered softly, "Ever had a fantasy about getting assaulted by a sexy beast in the locker room?"

I snorted and replied sarcastically, "Oh yeah, that sounds really hot."

Randy teased me, continuing to whisper, "What? You want me to say something like one of your cheese-fest moments?"

I rolled my eyes and replied shortly, "I like laying the cheese on thick, now don't cut it."

Randy chuckled darkly from behind me and started bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. I knew he was just dying to pounce on me. I turned my head to the side to see him and argued, "I just finished working out! I'm all sweaty and I stink!"

"Mmmm...I like the way you smell," Randy held me tighter and planted his nose at the top of my head, taking a strong whiff.

I tried to shrug him off, continuing to argue, "We've only got fifteen minutes, and if we go even a second over, Wade is going to flip out!"

"I'll watch the time," Randy tempted me.

He wasn't going to give up, and he knew I didn't want him to. I turned around to fully face him and asked, "Do you have a condom?"

"I'll do it manually," Randy started leading me to a part of the locker room siphoned off by a curtain.

"Now that sounds hot, but what about the curtain? It's still a few inches off the floor, someone could come in and look down and see us," I complained.

"Shut up, John," Randy stated.

"Okay," I replied, mashing my lips against his.

:-:

 ** _-_ _Inside Randy's Head_ _-_**

I pulled John behind the curtain with me and shoved him to his knees. He grinned up at me as I came slowly down to meet him, my eyes pinned to his baby blues like they were all I ever wanted to see.

He grabbed onto my shoulders to brace himself and waited anxiously for my rough delivery of pleasure. I wanted to play with him for a while first, but I knew we didn't have much time, so I reached underneath his boxers and took his balls between my fingertips, massaging them in a unique way that I hadn't done to John before. I used pressure in some places, and perfectly timed quick squeezes in other places, enough to make him crazy without coming too soon.

 _Everything I was doing was learned off the porn channel last night during an oddly educational chat session with Mandy Meloncockis. It was like the adult entertainment version of the Discovery Channel, but without everybody debating on how the Big Bang happened._

John moaned for me and started to close his eyes. I reached around his head with my free hand and jerked it so that he would open his eyes again and face me.

 _I wanted to see every expression he made while I stroked his cock._

I took hold of the shaft of his cock and started manipulating it in new ways as well. John was writhing underneath me and he moaned even louder, but I could tell he was holding back. I leaned in more closely to him and he tried to kiss me. I pulled away to tease him and he groaned frustratingly, "Randy!"

With a big grin, I slowly came close again and let him take hold of my lips. I sucked on his tongue and continued to play with his cock, adding my own creative ideas to Mandy's instructions. John kicked at my calves with the soles of his feet, trying to release the tension building up inside of him.

"Why are you holding back? I want to see you let it out," I egged him on.

John shook his head and told me, "I can't. It feels so good, I'm afraid I'm gonna start screaming like a teenage girl!"

"Oh, please do," I breathed, playfully biting the cleft of his chin.

He groaned and tried to push me back, arguing with me, "No! It's embarrassing and someone will hear us!"

"Let them," I grasped John's cock so I could rub it faster.

"Randy, don't..." he started, but I covered his mouth before he could finish the sentence.

:-:

 ** _-Inside John's Head_** _ **-**_

Covering my mouth to stifle any sound, Randy suddenly let go of me and froze. I couldn't understand why until I heard the sound of the locker room door being opened. Randy and I were thankfully hidden from view, but the damned curtain didn't reach all the way to the floor, and if someone were to look down in our direction, they could easily tell we were there.

On the plus side, having the curtain a few inches off the ground also meant that I could easily see out to the locker room, and it wasn't hard to recognize CM Punk's boots and Wade's giant bare feet as they made their way past the curtain and over to the lockers. I could see them full from where I was at an angle, but Randy couldn't, so he turned his head to one side and listened intently.

"What do you want me to say? We have him right where we want him," Punk said with a wide grin on his face.

Punk appeared to be in his usual cryptically upbeat mood, but Wade seemed put off. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Wade argued, "You do realize tha' Cena thinks I sucked you off on a rooftop?"

Randy turned to look at me with a shocked expression, slowly removing his hand from my mouth. I gave him an apologetic look and focused on Punk again. He explained to Wade easily, "That's what we want him to think! Look, our staged sexual act makes him think that we've got something going on, and that leads him to believe he has some leverage over me. All we have to do is keep pretending that he's got one on us. If we do that, Cena will stay with you, and Randy will come crawling to me, and then I'll have the legitimate leverage to kick Cena's legs out from under him."

 _Holy fuck. Punk really was the master manipulator._

Wade folded his arms and argued, "I don' like it."

Punk sat down on a bench and mocked a look of sadness, replying tauntingly, "Why, dear Wade? Aren't you a gay man? Wouldn't the falsehood of sucking on another man's penis be the least of your worries?"

Wade scoffed and looked away. I tensed up, thinking he might see us. Randy froze as well, gauging my reactions for a sign of what would be coming next. Wade's gaze didn't even come close to the curtain, and I relaxed when he looked back at Punk and said, "Wha' do I do with Cena, then? He'll be wonderin' why I'm bein' so considerate."

"Why are you being so considerate of Cena?" Punk made a disgusted expression.

"Did you no' see what Third Place did to me the las' time I bothered to pursue Cena? He pu' me in a bathtub and surged electricity through my body until I shite me-self!"

This time, it was my turn to be shocked. I looked at Randy, but he just gave me a shrug and a half-smile. I returned my gaze to Wade and Punk as Punk chuckled and replied, "Yeah, that was a good one."

"Stupid wanker," Wade grumbled.

Punk went back to the former subject, explaining, "It's very simple, Wade. All you need to do is keep Cena occupied and hopeless and all full of angst, and Randy will come to me looking to make a deal for Cena, and we'll go from there."

"Cena says he's with Gabriel now. Wha' makes you think Randy will step forward?" Wade asked curiously.

Punk started to answer, but he was cut short when a third person came storming into the locker room. I recognized Gabriel's street shoes as he passed the curtain, rushing over to Punk and Wade as he screamed furiously, "Where is Cena? I know that you have him!"

Punk slowly made his way to his feet, staring curiously at Gabriel before giving him a wicked smile. Gabriel was fuming, and I was afraid he would launch into Punk, but Wade stopped the situation when he said, "Ge' out, Punk."

Punk's dark eyes drifted from Gabriel to Wade and his smile faded. Wade nodded to the door and stated more strongly, "Leave!"

He lingered for several seconds, then Punk calmly picked up his gym back and left the locker room. He slowly passed by the curtain, and I was sure we would be caught, but Punk went by without a problem and walked out the door, leaving Wade and Gabriel to each other.

 _For all they knew, they were alone together._

Gabriel turned to face Wade, becoming visibly uneasy as he backed away. I tensed up again, knowing exactly how Gabriel was feeling.

 _If bad came to worse, I would come out and help him._

Randy leaned down so he could see what I was seeing. Wade reached out to touch Gabriel, but Gabriel shoved him away, shouting angrily, "Don't touch me! You don't touch me!"

Tears formed in Gabriel's eyes and streamed down his face. Wade scoffed at him and argued, "Have you gone mental? First you try leavin' Nexus an' now I can't even touch you?"

Gabriel pointed in Wade's face and yelled, "You've lost the privilege to touch me! You lost it when Cena told me what you did with Punk!"

Wade became defensive, arguing, "Wha' Cena said was part of a hoax we pulled to ge' him to do what we wanted. I've had nothin' to do with Punk tha' way an' I never will."

Gabriel took a step back, his teary eyes wide with shock. Wade's expression looked legitimately troubled as he folded his arms and added, "I though' you had more trust in me than tha'."

This made Gabriel's anger rise again. He shouted furiously at Wade, "Trust? You talk to me about trust?"

Wade put up his hand to stop Gabriel and stated shortly, "Stop. Someone will hear you."

Gabriel took a step back again and his eyes drifted to the floor. He seemed to be staring off into nowhere, and Wade started shifting his weight uneasily again. Gabriel suddenly looked at him and said quietly, "You told me about your feelings for John Cena."

Wade shrugged like it was and obvious statement and said, "Yeah."

Gabriel went on, saying more deliberately, "I spent many nights listening to your talk of John Cena. You even said his name during our first time together."

"Your point," Wade was becoming defensive again.

Gabriel stared at him and replied, "You knew that I had feelings for Randy Orton, but you did not ask me once to share my thoughts."

Randy shifted above me. I glanced at him and his expression told me that he already knew what Gabriel was confessing, but the confirmation of it was still unexpected. I looked back at Wade, who was getting frustrated as he held his hands out and said, "Wha' do you want from me? You want me to apologize? You want me to leave Cena alone? I'm already doin' tha' because of my respect for you, an' tha's as far as I'll step."

Gabriel suddenly screamed, "YOU RAPED ME!"

"Wha'?" Wade shouted angrily.

Gabriel came close to Wade and spat at him, "You raped me! You did it because Randy humiliated you and you were a broken and desperate man, and you took it out on me! You beat me! You choked me! You committed sadistic acts against me and you expect me to follow you now as a blind man would?"

 _I was glad that Gabriel was finally standing up to Wade. Problem was, Wade didn't seem to understand what the speech was even about._

"If you're referring to the last time we had sex, I believe tha' you made the order of aggression and I carried it out jus' like you asked me to. I never raped you, Justin," Wade stated.

Gabriel stared blankly at Wade. I analyzed Wade's features for signs that he was lying, but there were none. Either he was telling the truth, or he completely believed what he was saying.

"What?" Gabriel asked weakly.

Wade sighed with frustration and explained, "I think I understand why you were so eager to leave, an' why you were acting so strangely when you came back an' we talked abou' it. You never told me you though' it was rape. I told you I never mean' to hurt you, an' I meant it tha' you asked me to do very aggressive things to you an' later I though' it may have gone too far. If I had known wha' you were thinkin', I would've come to you sooner."

Gabriel dropped into the bench, hung his head in his hands and sobbed. Wade continued, saying, "I'm truly sorry, Justin. I do have a problem when it comes to Cena, bu' I never meant tha' to bleed over on you. You're honest with me, an' I'm honest with you, and honestly, I never did anythin' to you with the intention of rape."

Gabriel didn't respond, but continued to sob. Wade started pacing the room, his expression deep in thought. Then, his eyes suddenly went wide and he asked Gabriel, "Where are the painkillers I gave ya?"

"What?" Gabriel lifted his head and asked weakly.

"The painkillers. I gave you a bottle after you gave Cena the 450 Splash during one of our takeovers an' you bruised your ribs," Wade said.

 _I remembered Gabriel giving me his finisher in the ring several times, but I hadn't realized he had ever hurt himself doing it._

Gabriel became confused and replied, "They are in my bag, but I rarely use them. Why?"

Wade ignored the question and asked his own, "Did you take one the morning we last fucked?"

Gabriel glanced directly over at the curtain. He halted and I was sure he could see me. Wade shouted at him, "Justin!"

Breaking away from the curtain, Gabriel focused on Wade and said, "Yes, yes I did."

"Come with me. We need to find your bag now," Wade started to leave.

Gabriel stood up and gave me one last look before he left with wade out the door. Randy and I stayed still for a little longer to make sure no one was coming back, then Randy let up on me and said, "You should go. Find out what the hell is going on. I think someone's been drugging more people than just us."

I started to sit up, saying quickly, "I was going to tell you that I saw Wade sucking Punk off on the roof of the hotel the day I was drugged. I thought they drugged me because I saw them, but now I know it was all just another stupid game."

"Well, since we're spilling everything, while you were gone at the autograph signing, I handcuffed Wade to a bathtub and tortured him until he shit himself so he would never bother you again," Randy stated dryly.

I grinned broadly and said, "Your disturbingly violent tendencies should be a source of concern for me, but somehow it just keeps turning me all the way up."

Randy gave me a devilish look and I leaned in to give him one deliberate but passionate kiss before I turned on my heel to leave, saying over my shoulder, "I'll find a way to thank you for your psychotic ways later!"

I rushed out the door and took off down the hallway. It took me a minute to realize that I had no idea where I was going. Gabriel and Wade had gone to look for Gabriel's bag, which could be in Wade's car or back in the hotel room. I was closest to the hotel room, so I turned off to check there first.

Once I got to the room, I noticed the door was already propped open and I burst through it, closing it behind me and turning around to talk to Wade and Gabriel.

But it wasn't Wade and Gabriel standing there. It was Slater, Otunga, Harris and McGillicutty, and they were headed by a very fierce looking Batista.

"Hey there, John. Long time, no see," Batista half-smiled at me.

 _Oh shit._


	32. Chapter 32

32:

"Hey, Batista. I thought you quit," I had no clue what else to say beyond that.

 _Think fast, John. What the fuck are they all doing in here? Oh right, this is Wade's room. But why now? Did he ask them to stop by? Is Batista with them? Fuck, I can't make sense out of this._

Batista turned his head to one side and smiled wryly, like he could see the wheels turning in my head and he knew that I wasn't making any connections. He straightened up and informed me, "I didn't quit, I just took some time off. Call it an extended vacation, although I didn't vacation much, since I was too busy researching what's been going on around here."

"Well, if you're here to see Wade, he's busy and he won't be back for a while," I said.

 _Fuck-nuggets! Now they know I'm alone! Why did I say that?_

Batista mocked a frown and responded, "Ah, that's too bad. Punk sent us over to talk to Wade and Gabriel about me joining Nexus."

 _I KNEW IT!_

I pretended to act unaffected, asking passively, "Did you join because Punk and Wade made you a good offer?"

The Nexus snickered and I gave them a sideways glare. Batista leaned into me slightly and replied simply, "No, I just joined because I hate you, John."

 _Should've seen that coming._

Batista made a loud sigh and explained, "This company's gone to hell. PG rating, no blood and violence and cursing on the television. It's upsetting, but I could live with it. My problem is with YOU, John. No matter where I go, all I see is the face of John Cena on everything that is even remotely related to wrestling. Did you know I picked up an amateur wrestling magazine last month, and they actually had your face on the cover? I mean damn, they don't even own you and they put your face on their cover because it promotes sales. It's madness, and I'm here to stop it before it gets out of control."

Unfortunately, Batista was mostly right. My face was on everything, even amateur magazines and small time wrestling promotions. I retorted loudly, "Do you realize that I have nothing to do with the publishing industry, Dave? You can knock me on my ass and punch out all my teeth, but they're probably still gonna use past stock photos to keep my image going because that's what sells. It's like Victoria's Secret angels wings on generation after generation of models, or that dog that promotes the baked beans even though it's obvious it couldn't still be the same dog after all these years..."

Batista pointed his fat finger in my face and stated, "It's not about publishing, Cena. I'm here to set things straight so you don't hog the spotlight!"

The Nexus members nodded their heads in agreement. I shrugged and replied, "Fine, do what you want, but I doubt it'll change things. Someone else will just take my place and you'll have to deal with him, or maybe even her for that matter, and then you'll be back where you started."

I could see Batista's veins starting to pop. They always did that when he was angry, but instead of hulking out, he would just start dripping sweat and he would spit a lot when he talked.

"Get out," I stated.

"Excuse me?" Batista stared me down.

"Leave," I demanded.

Batista chuckled and turned back to The Nexus. I was almost sure they would refuse my request, and then I would have good reason to fight back, but amazingly, Batista motioned to the door and said, "You heard him, guys."

We all stared at him in confusion. Batista looked at The Nexus and said more sternly, "Out."

They did as he instructed them, taking their time filing out the door. Batista went last, and I followed right behind him to lock the door after her left. Just before he was out the door, he suddenly slammed it and turned around to face me.

He grabbed me and pinned me up against the door. I was startled by the force he was using, and my lack of being able to counter it. I realized too late that he was pinching the scar on my neck, tingling the nerves there and distorting the blood supply to my brain.

My head started throbbing and I was quickly losing consciousness. Batista leaned in closely and whispered into my ear, "I know about you and Randy, and I'm going to make sure that it stops, along with everything else. This is the wrestling industry, not the gay porn industry."

I could feel blood dripping out of my nose. I was about to pass out, but I still worked up enough strength to whisper back, "Fuck...you."

Batista leaned back to look me in the eyes, grinning broadly once he realized he had given me a bloody nose from all the pressure on my scar. He mentioned to me idly, "Don't think I've forgotten how you broke your neck in the first place."

He was referring to the storyline when I was attempting to stop him, and he countered, slamming me into the mat. I landed wrong and broke my neck. The scar was from the surgery that it took to repair the damage. As far as everyone else was concerned, it was an accident.

 _As far as I was concerned, there was no way to tell for sure...until now._

I felt something thumping against my back, and I realized someone was knocking at the door I was pinned against. Batista glanced through the peephole and said, "Oh, well speak of the Devil..."

Batista let go of my neck and tossed me aside like a rag doll. I collapsed on the floor and tried desperately not to faint from the sudden rush of blood coming back to my brain. I sat up as Batista swung open the door and shouted with open arms and a big smile, "Randy, my man!"

"Hey, man, what's going-" Randy turned and saw me before he finished his sentence.

His blue-green irises focused intently on my bloody nose.

Then they refocused on the hand I was holding over the scar on my neck.

Then they refocused darkly on Batista.

"Touch me and you'll spend the night in jail for assault," Batista warned.

Randy clenched his fists and locked his jaw, but appeared to back down. Batista grinned triumphantly and said, "Now, as I was say-"

Randy leaned forward and tackled Batista around the middle. With amazing force, Randy picked up Batista off the ground and kept running, taking Batista's frame clear across the room and into the far window before Randy let go.

Batista crashed through the window, and for a moment, I thought he was in the process of falling the twelve stories to the ground. I shot up and screamed, "RANDYOHMYFUCKINGGOD!"

He gave me a look of confusion and replied, "What? He's just in the platform."

 _Oh. Right. I had forgotten there was a balcony outside of every window._

I rushed over to look out at Batista, asking quickly, "Is he dead?"

Randy grunted with disdain and replied shortly, "No, unfortunately."

I could see Batista groaning on the ground, and I breathed a sigh of relief, then I looked at Randy and shouted, "Well in that case, that was so fucking hot!"

Randy gave me a wicked half-smile and I rushed into him, mashing my lips so furiously against his, he groaned with a mix of surprise and pain. He wrapped his arms around me and shoved his palms into the back pockets of my jeans so he could pull me closer, squeezing my ass while I squeezed his lower lip between my teeth.

Two figures came into the still open doorway and Randy and I broke apart quickly, but it was already too late. I realized that it was Wade and Gabriel, and I tried to think fast.

I slapped Randy as hard as I could across the face, accidentally cutting his lower lip with my thumbnail. He fell back against the TV stand and grabbed his lip, giving me a complete look of shock. I shouted angrily, "How dare you try to kiss me, Randy? We are over! Over, I say!"

 _Shit. I've gotta stop taking my dramatic romance material from soap operas and Shakespearean plays._

Wade waved his hand at us and replied shortly, "Save the theatrics, Cena! Gabriel tol' me everythin'."

I glanced wide eyed at Gabriel and he nodded. I looked back at Randy and gave him a sheepish expression. He licked the blood off of his lower lip and gave me his Viper's stare.

 _I was so gonna get it for that later._

"Wha' happened? Why is my window shattered?" Wade argued, trying to step between Randy and I to look out.

"Batista came to see you, and I told him you weren't here, but he wouldn't leave, so I had him escorted out," I answered sarcastically.

"Fuck, the police are on their way," Wade said.

I locked eyes with Randy, but he wasn't the slightest bit concerned.

 _I knew he was going to end up in jail at some point!_

:-:

Randy and Batista both got arrested. What Batista didn't anticipate was that Randy was still on a steady paycheck and could easily post his own bail, while Batista had been out of work for over a year.

It also helped that most of the officers were big fans of the RKO, and a few autographs to their children gave Randy a police escort back to the hotel.

 _Guess the Batista Bomb hasn't been impressionable since 2005._

I stayed with Wade and Gabriel for the rest of the day. The Nexus didn't bother to come back, but Wade was in constant contact with them by cell phone. I was mostly concerned about Randy, so I paid little attention to anything else going on. I was like a text-happy teenager when Randy sent me the message that he was out, and we kept sending messages back and forth well into the evening.

 _I was more than a little surprised that Wade hadn't tried to stop me._

Gabriel and Wade ordered room service, then they played a game of cards while I lay in bed and pretended to be watching TV, but I was still busily messaging Randy. We were mostly talking about the whole issue with Batista being back. When it came to the subject of Batista himself, however, Randy had a whole wealth of information dating back to the beginning of Evolution, when he and Batista spent almost every waking hour together, touring nightclubs and doing autograph signings and living the high life with their mentors, HHH and Ric Flair. Although Evolution's eventual split gave Batista and Randy free reign for solo acts, they hadn't completely lost contact with each other.

FROM: RAN-DOG

I'LL TALK 2 HIM. HE WULDN'T JOIN NEXUS JUST 2 H8 ON YOU.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

THAT'S WUT HE SAY 2 ME. DOES HE H8 ME?

FROM: RAN-DOG

FUCK NO. HE ONLY H8S 2 THING: FUDGE BARS & CLOWNS.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

CLOWNS?! LOL.

FROM: RAN-DOG

DONT ASK. HE SAY FUDGE BARS L00K 2 MUCH LIKE SHEET.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

U MEAN SHIT?

FROM: RAN-DOG

YEAH. I H8 FUKIN T9WORD FOR TEXT. MY THUMBS R TIRED.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

MINE TOO. I REALLY WANNA C U.

FROM: RAN-DOG

I CAN'T C U!

FROM: CENTASTIC!

HAHA. VERY FUNNY. I'LL ASK WADE.

FROM: RAN-DOG

U THINK HE'LL LET U?

FROM: CENTASTIC!

NO HARM IN ASKING.

FROM: RAN-DOG

IF HE SAY NO I'LL MAKE HIM SAY YES.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

HOW? THROW HIM OUT WINDOW 2? WE SWITCHD ROOMS-FRESH GLASS!

FROM: RAN-DOG

HAPPY THOUGHTS.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

MAKE MR. HAPPY THOUGHTS. I'LL BE THERE SOON.

FROM: RAN-DOG

LUV U, MY LIL FUCK MUFFIN.

FROM: CENTASTIC!

LUV U 2, CORN BABY!

FROM: RAN-DOG

?

FROM: CENTASTIC!

SURRY. SOUNDED FUNNIER IN MY HEAD.

FROM: RAN-DOG

DWEEB. LOL.

I sighed and closed my phone, looking over at Gabriel and Wade. They were just finishing a play when Gabriel glared over at Wade and stated, "You're cheating again."

"Bullocks, I never chea'!" Wade argued.

Gabriel remained straight faced, pointing out, "I have caught you cheating every single time we play this game."

"Tha's because you don' know the rules!" Wade continued to argue.

Gabriel stood up and walked over to Wade, holding out his hand as he said, "Give me the card you are hiding."

"I'm no' hiding a card!" Wade shouted.

Sighing with frustration, Gabriel replied, "I saw you put it under your arm. Give it to me."

Wade shot Gabriel a half-smile and leaned back, deliberately stretching his arms over his head to reveal nothing underneath before he relaxed and asked casually, "Where do you think it is now, Justin?"

Gabriel took his hand back and turned like he was going to walk away, then he turned back and grabbed onto a chunk of Wade's upper arm, pinching a random section of his tattoo.

I became confused, wondering what Gabriel was up to. Wade seemed just as puzzled, staring down at the spot Gabriel was pinching as he asked dryly, "Are you actually attemptin' somethin', or did you miss bu' you don' wan' to admit it?"

Wade suddenly lurched forward and groaned heavily like he was full of nausea. Gabriel let go of Wade's arm and reached into the back of his shirt, pulling out a hidden card. Gabriel held it up and smiled with triumph before explaining, "I used an old African trick on you. You will be fine in two minutes."

Sitting back, Wade gasped for breath, exaggerating his sickness. Gabriel rolled his eyes and started to walk away, but Wade reached out for him and stated dramatically, "Tell me mum I love her."

"Shut up," Gabriel countered.

I stared at Wade as he tried to catch his breath, still exaggerating his symptoms so that Gabriel would feel bad, but Gabriel sat down on the edge of his bed and turned away from Wade, deliberately ignoring him. It was weird for me to see Wade acting genuinely funny.

A few weeks ago, he wanted to get me fired. A few weeks before that, he attempted to rape me. A few weeks before that, he had made it so that I was duped into being his personal slave.

 _In a short space of time, Wade had gone from being enemy number one to the least of my worries._

Wade was already starting to perk up, and I could tell from the look he was giving Gabriel that he was thinking about some alone time. I took advantage of the moment and asked out loud, "Wade, can I go visit Randy?"

Both Gabriel and Wade looked at me with surprise. I shrugged and replied jokingly, "Should I take some time to grieve over my fictional breakup with Gabriel before I hit up the fictional ex?"

Gabriel chuckled, but Wade kept a straight face. For a moment, my heart caught in my throat. I was sure he was going to respond with one of the sadistic, gut wrenching remarks he used to make that removed all sense of hope from my existence, but instead, he made a short sigh and replied, "Go on, then."

I stood up and rushed to the door before Wade had time to change his mind. I only stopped because I had to when I realized he hadn't given me a time frame for my leave. I whirled around and submitted my own idea, "Could I have two hours?"

"One," Wade put his index finger in the air for emphasis.

Gabriel turned away from me and gave Wade a look I didn't see, but it seemed to influence his decision. Wade's expression softened and I quickly added, "Give me two hours, and I'll call you Mr. Barrett whenever we're in front of Vince."

Wade's face lit up and he told me, "Deal!"

I flew out the door and practically took off like a marathon runner to find Randy's room. I was so excited, I tripped over my own feet several times, probably much to the chagrin of the people on the other side of the walls I banged into. It seemed like an eternity, but I finally found Randy's room, and I was shaking as I reached up and gave the door three deliberate knocks and a quick tap so that he would know it was me.

I waited.

Nothing.

I was getting anxious. I started bouncing on the balls of my feet as I knocked and tapped again to let him know I was there.

Nothing.

"Oh shit, please don't say this is the one time he fell asleep early!" I groaned out loud, making another quick knock-and-tap signal against the door.

Nothing.

I was about to shout his name when Randy suddenly opened the door. I was so happy to see him, my voice was shrill as I squealed, "What took you so long!"

"Jesus, John, I was in the bathroom," Randy moved aside to let me in.

I quickly glanced around his room, as if I would find something amazing in there, but it looked the same as all the other rooms, except the only light was coming from the TV, set to the infomercial channel as always.

My burst of excitement started to fade and I walked slowly over to the bed, hopping into it on my stomach so that it would bounce me a couple of times. Randy didn't immediately come into bed with me, so I turned my head to one side and asked, "Would you fuck me hard and fast?"

Randy stepped in front of the TV, twiddling the remote in his hand as he chuckled and replied with a question of his own, "How about long and slow, like making love?"

I made a disgusted face and mocked, "Ew, gross, love making is for girls!"

Randy tossed the remote on the floor and reached down to take off my sneakers, remarking dryly, "Who says so?"

I turned away from him so I could just feel him touching me without knowing where he would put his hands next. He had removed my sneakers and socks, then he was starting for my jeans as I replied in the tone of a know-it-all, "Everybody, Randy, everybody says so. Guys fuck but they don't make love. I read it on Twitter, so it has to be true."

Randy was pulling off my jeans and boxers, but he stopped to laugh out loud.

 _I loved it when he was happy._

He pulled my jeans off and started taking off his own clothes, still chuckling softly to himself. I waited until he slipped into bed on top of me before I rolled over on my side to look back at him. He began tugging up on the edge of my shirt, put I pushed his hands back down, saying, "Wait, I want to leave my shirt on this time."

"Why?" Randy gave me a curious look.

"I'm shirtless most of the time. Everyone gets to see that. I want to do something different this time," I replied.

Randy frowned a little and I added, "It bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Just know I'll probably be ripping it off of you at some point," Randy warned me with a wicked smile.

"No complaints here," I mocked defeat.

:-:

I told Randy how much time we had. I knew he was keeping count. I had to strain not to watch the clock myself, because I knew it would drive me nuts and the time would feel like it was gone too fast. Randy was very helpful in keeping me distracted.

He was stronger this time. Not physically, but my senses were going wild in response to him. It was like he had somehow turned everything about himself on high and I was suddenly completely aware of him. I was even noticing things I hadn't noticed before, like the freckle on his upper right thigh, or the tiny scar just below the left side of his jaw where he probably cut himself shaving.

He did me slow. It was like we did back at his house, but still different somehow. He felt like water inside of me because he was moving so smoothly.

 _I didn't even feel the slight pain of him putting it in me._

My body had become accustomed to this alternative form of sex. I liked it; I desired it; I wanted it; I craved it; I felt release from it. The only passage I could provide for Randy's above average size now willingly conformed to him. The more I relaxed beneath Randy, the more natural it felt to be with him.

 _After experiencing it firsthand, I couldn't figure out why anyone would think this was wrong._

I could feel my body responding sexually just as strongly as it was physically. Wave after wave of tingling, bursting energy rushed through me. Each thrust from Randy inspired more reactions and even more energy. In the position we were in, I was able to stare deeply into his blue-green eyes while he moved. I could see him staring back at me, analyzing my expressions, gauging my reactions, asking me wordlessly if I wanted more. I could see him looking so far down into me, he could see me at my most vulnerable, truly naked with all the good and the bad parts of me out on display, and no matter what he was seeing, he never once looked away.

I suddenly felt overwhelmed. I closed my eyes and looked away, saying, "Stop, stop for a second."

Randy immediately halted, asking, "What's wrong?"

He started to move away, but I opened my eyes and clutched his shoulders, saying, "No, don't pull out! Just...don't move."

"Okay," Randy whispered, staying completely still.

I relaxed and closed my eyes again, trying to catch my breath. It seemed strange that I was so exhausted when we weren't even going that fast. I felt something building in my eyes, and I blinked a few times before I realized that they were tears.

"Are you crying, John?" Randy asked softly.

I tried to wipe any evidence away, grumbling, "No, I've just got dirt in my eyes."

Randy breathed a chuckle and leaned in, pressing his lips to each of my eyelids so he could kiss the tears away. He pulled back and licked away the salty liquid from his lips, then he gave me a light smile. I groaned and replied, "This is probably why making love is supposed to be for girls."

"You want a little manly love? I can go hard and fast," Randy said dryly.

"How much time do we have left?" I asked somberly.

Randy glanced at the clock, but made no expression on his face to indicate what time it was as he said, "No worries at this point."

"Keep going slow, then. I like having more time with you," I said.

Randy gave me a half-smile, then he replied, "This is for splitting my lip."

"What?" I asked, just before he pulled up my shirt and took one of my nipples between his teeth.

:-:

I rubbed my slightly sore nipple all the way back to Wade's room. I was mad that Randy had bit into it without warning me first, but I couldn't deny the massive amount of pleasure it gave me.

 _I would probably ask him to do it again sometime...after I was over being pissed._

Knocking lightly on the door, I waited until Gabriel let me in. I struggled to find the bed in the dark, then I collapsed into it to sleep, barely making out the shadow of Wade fast asleep in the other bed across from me. Gabriel lay down next to me, and I became confused, mentioning, "You can stay with Wade now, if you want."

"Punk still believes that you and I are together. I do not want to risk him discovering the truth," Gabriel informed me.

I nodded and let him settle in under the blankets before I asked, "Why didn't you tell Punk?"

"Wade and I are certain that Punk is no longer trustworthy. We are doing our best to understand what his true plans are," Gabriel said.

I was dying to ask him if he saw me under the curtain eavesdropping on his conversation with Wade. I opened my mouth to ask, but Gabriel already knew what I was going to say and answered, "In answer to your question, yes."

I looked over at Gabriel and he nodded toward Wade. I realized that Gabriel didn't want me saying too much out loud in case Wade was still awake. I changed the subject and asked, "So what do we do now?"

"We rest in preparation for tomorrow," Gabriel stated.

"What's going to happen tomorrow?" I asked.

"Batista gets out of jail," Gabriel answered.

 _Oh fuck, I almost forgot about that._


	33. Chapter 33

33:

I woke up to the sound of bickering and I opened my eyes. I was lying on my stomach and I was hanging mostly off the side of the bed, my face buried in sheets. I blinked and glanced around, spotting Wade lying in his bed with Gabriel straddling him.

 _Wait...what?_

Blinking to make sure it was real, I focused my eyes on a somewhat disturbing situation, at least for me. Gabriel was in his boxers sitting on top of Wade. While Gabriel typed furiously on Wade's cell phone, fully clothed Wade was making a half-assed attempt to get his phone back.

 _Well, at least they weren't fucking...yet._

"Wha' are you textin'? I wanna see," Wade reached for his phone.

Gabriel arched his back and pulled the phone away, arguing, "I know how to sound like you in text. I just have to type like a stupid old Brit with a morning hangover."

Wade made a sour face and grumbled, "I'm no' old."

Straightening his back again, Gabriel continued to text with super speed. Wade tried to argue with him again, complaining, "Wha's he said, then?"

"He will be here in ten minutes," Gabriel informed Wade while still typing.

Wade reached for the phone again, but Gabriel pushed his hand away and gave Wade a quick punch in the gut. Wade gasped in surprise, then he made a mock face of pity and said morosely, "You're so aggressive now."

Gabriel stayed focused on his typing, but remarked pointedly, "That's what spending time with Randy Orton will do to you."

It took all I had not to burst out laughing. Wade glared at Gabriel like he didn't understand the joke and he didn't like the mention of Orton's name. Gabriel made a disgusted look and shifted uneasily while still working on the cell phone. Wade perked up and stated strongly, "Oi! Wha' do you keep movin' for? You have the crabs?"

Gabriel smiled slightly but kept his focus on the phone while he answered, "I've only had sex with you since I came to America."

Wade snorted and replied smartly, "Well, then, you must've 'ad it before."

Gabriel shifted again and looked away from the cell phone for a moment to argue at Wade, "Your manhood is poking me!"

 _Oh God...don't laugh..._

It was really getting difficult to fake sleep at this point. Wade countered shortly, "It's the morning!"

Gabriel frowned at him and replied, "You've been up for three hours. You already dressed and exercised and you think I'm going to believe you still have a morning stick?"

Wade chuckled wickedly and Gabriel returned to working on the cell phone, shifting uncomfortably again. Wade made a little groan and said in a mock erotic tone, "Keep movin', bu' a little harder to the left."

Gabriel momentarily lost his focus on the cell phone and laughed. Wade grinned broadly at him as Gabriel tried to return to what he was doing. Wade sighed with frustration again and started outlining Gabriel's left knee with his fingertips to get attention. Gabriel ignored him, so Wade outlined the top of his knee, then traced into his inner thigh. Gabriel shifted slightly, but stayed focused on the cell phone.

I watched Wade continue to trace with one hand, while he reached around with the other and tugged on the rim of Gabriel's boxers, bringing them down just enough in the front that I could see a patch of scar tissue that looked like it came from a third degree burn. It was located so low on Gabriel's pelvic area that he could easily conceal it, even with wrestling trunks on. Wade hadn't pulled the boxers down enough for me to see how much of the skin was scarred, but what I could see was only an inch or so above Gabriel's groin.

Gabriel dropped the cell phone and very suddenly pulled away from Wade. He hugged his knees at the edge of the bed and stared angrily in Wade's direction. Sitting up slowly, Wade made an apologetic expression and replied quietly, "I'm sorry. Tha' was stupid."

 _I thought Gabriel had probably forgiven Wade by now for their totally fucked up sexual history. Guess I was wrong._

Gabriel looked over at me and saw that my eyes were open. I blinked a few times like I had only just woken up, then I rubbed my eyes and looked over at the clock, asking groggily, "What time is it?"

"It's late. Ge' your arse up, Cena," Wade barked at me.

Gabriel shot Wade a hard look and Wade cursed under his breath. Gabriel looked back and me and said more kindly, "Punk is coming to talk to us very soon. You should get dressed."

"Okay," I tried to remember where I put my bag.

I was distracted by a knock at our door. Wade got up to answer it as Punk called jubilantly from the other side, "It's me, Punk! I've got a surprise for all of you!"

 _I seriously. Fucking. Hated his peppy ass._

Gabriel sprang to his feet, shouting at Wade, "Wait!"

Wade stopped and turned back to ask, "Wha'?"

"I want to put my jeans on before Punk comes in," Gabriel searched the floor for his clothes.

"Why?" Wade was still stumped.

Gabriel stood up straight and stated loudly, "Because Punk is disgusting and he will not see me in my underclothes!"

 _I couldn't help but smile. Gabriel was not only blatantly honest, but he could be a real spitfire, too._

"I can hear you, you know," Punk mentioned from the other side of the door.

Wade called back to him, "Jus' wait a moment!"

Punk sighed loudly from the other side. Gabriel found his jeans and put them on, then Wade looked at me for a sign of protest since I was just wearing a shirt and boxers. I shrugged apathetically and Wade went to open the door.

I wasn't surprised when Punk walked in acting all joyful and shit, but I was a bit overwhelmed when I saw that he was being followed by Randy.

Randy glanced at me and made two rapid blinks. This was one of many signals he would use to communicate with me wordlessly when we were competing together in the ring. The signals were designed so that we could warn each other before one of us attempted a new move or idea during the match. What I hadn't realized until now was that Randy didn't usually use these signals with other wrestlers, so Punk and Wade weren't going to notice, but I had memorized them all because he loved to shake things up during our matches.

 _Yet another clue that Randy was more involved with me than anyone else, and I was totally fucking oblivious._

I knew instantly that the two rapid blinks meant he wanted me to relax and just go with whatever was about to happen. I quickly gave Punk an annoyed expression to play off that I was not happy with Randy's presence in the room. Gabriel folded his arms and Wade asked Punk, "Wha's O doing here?"

"He came to talk business with us," Punk stated pointedly, motioning to Randy like he was a sought after celebrity.

Randy smiled slightly at Wade's look of disdain and dropped the bombshell in a casual tone, "I've decided to join The Nexus."

 _Ow. I think my brain just imploded._

Wade glanced from Randy to Punk and back again. I could tell from Wade's expression that he was just as blindsided as Gabriel and I were. Wade narrowed his eyes at Randy and countered, "Nexus is no' an open membership. Not jus' anyone can join at any time!"

Punk tried to persuade Wade, telling him, "Oh, come on, Barrett! Think of the storyline! Randal joins at the same time as Batista. Vince will love it because it'll put the crowd all at odds. They'll wonder to themselves: are Randy and Batista still friends? Have they joined the same group to help each other, or to hurt each other? How is Cena involved in all of this? What does it all mean?"

Punk's gaze drifted off like he could see the endless possibilities. Wade frowned but replied honestly, "Yeah, tha' does sound like a good pitch."

Punk added gleefully, "Plus this means you've got all of the best people on the roster in The Nexus! We can't lose!"

Wade considered his options. Punk gave me a sideways glance and said snidely, "Unless someone has a problem with seeing Randal all the time."

I realized instantly that Punk was determining my reaction. I didn't have to make one, because Gabriel stepped forward and shouted angrily, "This is madness! We all know that Randy is only joining The Nexus so that he can ruin my relationship with Cena!"

Wade pushed Gabriel aside and told Punk sarcastically, "Don' listen to him. He's still full of rage 'cause his Cena-love won' play with him while I'm in the room."

Punk snorted a laugh and Gabriel gave Wade an acidic look. I didn't have to look at Randy to know his rage was building fast. I knew I had to step in and add something or someone was going to lose a limb. I quickly pointed out in a mock serious tone, "That's completely untrue."

Everyone looked at me as I explained in the same tone, "The only reason we don't fool around while Wade is here is because he hasn't had any in so long, we were afraid he would try to weasel his way into the mix."

Punk laughed out loud at that one. Wade shot me a death glare and stated angrily, "I've had plenty, you twat!"

"Whacking off to the internet doesn't count," I pointed out, making Punk laugh even harder.

 _He reminded me of a hysterical chipmunk. I wanted to throw nuts at him so he'd take them and scurry away back to his hole._

Wade put his fists on his hips and retorted snidely, "Why don' you go an' take a shower, Cena, or you'll make us all late."

Gabriel pointed at Wade and stated, "You don't talk to him like that. He is not under your orders anymore."

Wade shoved Gabriel again and mentioned, "You haven't taken a shower, either. It'll take all mornin' to get us out o' here!"

Gabriel opened his mouth to argue, but Punk suddenly perked up and mentioned, "I have the perfect solution! Since Cena and Gabriel are fuck buddies now, they should be fine taking a shower together. That way, we won't be late!"

The room went dead silent.

Punk focused on me, his wide eyes daring me to look at Randy. I just stared right back at Punk, acting like Randy wasn't even in the room as I said boldly, "There's no fucking way that's gonna happen."

He grinned like he had gotten one up on me as Punk asked mockingly, "Why not, John Boy?"

I knew what he wanted me to say, but I was already one step ahead of him.

I glared at Punk and explained frustratingly, "Let me get this straight: you expect Gabriel and I to walk into that bathroom, take off our clothes and get into that shower, which would put us in, well, the most vulnerable state of our lives, while you two conniving, untrustworthy rat bastards stand outside the door with my ex-boyfriend?"

Punk's grin started to fade as he began to realize I wasn't going to say what he wanted. I raised a brow and finished with, "If you think I'm stupid enough to fall for that, Punk, then you're not as smart as I gave you credit for."

I could see the anger rising through his neck and into his face as Punk looked at Wade for backup. I put my hands up in defeat and said, "Let me make things easy for all of us: Gabriel, you take a shower. I'll wait 'till we get to the next arena."

For a few seconds, nobody moved, then Wade motioned for Gabriel to get going. Punk appeared to be legitimately upset, but I could never quite tell for sure. I finally glanced at Randy, but he was stone faced. I thought that was odd, considering what had just happened. He looked away from me and turned his head to one side, arching his shoulders back for a second like he had an itch he couldn't scratch before he completely relaxed.

 _Oh fuck, I hated that signal. It means he's about to do the RKO on me._

During our first couple of matches together, Randy would use that signal so I could know what was coming. As we got more used to each other and our wrestling style, he stopped using the signal because it made my reaction of surprise more legitimate. If he were warning me now, I knew that the situation was about to get serious.

Gabriel grabbed his back and walked into the bathroom, giving me an uncomfortable look from over his shoulder before he closed the door. Punk immediately went serious and stated to Wade, "Hold the door."

Wade nodded and grabbed the knob to the bathroom so that Gabriel couldn't get out. Randy started making his way toward me, and I put on my best innocent look as I asked, "What are you doing?"

Randy turned around and grabbed me around the neck so fast, I didn't really know what was happening, but years of spending time with him in the ring had taught my body how to react before my mind did, and I relaxed, letting him take me down into the RKO. My stomach leaped into my chest as I felt myself falling for only a second, then I bounced off the floor and Randy let me go.

This wasn't like performing in front of a crowd. If I acted more injured than I was, my fellow wrestlers would spot it easily, and the whole plan would be blown. I was a little dazed, but I was able to feign added pain by reaching up to feel the scar on my neck, which was bruised after Batista had grabbed it the day before.

Randy came up on his knees in one flowing motion, then he held out his hand and Punk gave him a syringe filled with yellow liquid. I looked up at them weakly as Punk ordered Randy, "Give him this and you're in the group."

I started to get up so it looked like I wasn't going to give up without a fight. Randy shoved me back down and jammed his knee between my shoulder blades to hold me in place before he pierced the needle into my arm and injected me.

 _I sure hope this doesn't end badly._

Consciousness was slipping. I could feel my body getting heavy and I knew Randy had given me some kind of a sedative. He pulled the needle out and I vaguely heard Punk say something like, "Terrific..."

I could hear Wade arguing with him, but the words didn't make sense anymore. I closed my eyes and let the sedative take me. I felt the feather's touch of Randy's fingertips run just below my right earlobe, creating a new signal for me to pick up on before I passed out.

 _He was letting me know I would be fine. Everything...would...be..._


	34. Chapter 34

34:

My eyes fluttered open. The first thing I processed was a dark colored ceiling fan spinning slowly. I tried to move my body. I was drenched in sweat and I felt sore all over. Faded memories of Randy injecting me while Punk stood over him entered my mind, and I suddenly jerked awake, trying desperately to sit up.

Randy appeared in my eyes and put his hands on my face, gently lowering me back into bed as he told me softly, "It's alright, John. You're safe."

 _I felt nowhere near to being safe._

My throat was so dry, I could barely form the words to ask, "What happened?"

Randy reached for a glass of water on the nightstand and propped it up to my lips. I instinctively sucked the water down, but it had no taste and I felt like I was still in a dreaming state.

I looked over at the far wall and saw Wade sitting lazily in a chair, watching me with moderate concern while he pressed buttons on his cell phone with one hand. I finished the water and fell back against the pillows, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep again.

"How's his temp?" Wade asked, his voice sounding oddly distant.

I felt Randy's hand touch my forehead. He pulled his hand away after a few seconds and replied to Wade, "He seems okay now."

"My stomach hurts," I whispered, mostly to myself.

"John? Hey," Randy reached around the back of my neck to lift my head, and I opened my eyes to look up at him, not even realizing I had closed them in the first place.

"I'm all sweaty," I told him, too incoherent to realize that it was already obvious.

Randy started to sit me up, saying quietly, "You reacted to the sedative. We were afraid we would have to take you to the hospital again like in Manchester, but you came out of it."

I looked over at Wade again and he asked me, "Do you 'ave some kind of health concern we should know about, Cena?"

I shook my head slowly, replying, "Not that I know of, but I don't usually take sedatives or drugs that make people have crazy animal sex."

Wade scoffed at me and mentioned to Randy, "He still has that mouth on 'im. Tha's a good impression."

Randy ignored Wade and asked me, "Do you need anything? I'll order room service."

The thought of food made my stomach churn. I shook my head slowly again, and Randy put his hands on my shoulders, leaning down so he could match his eyes with mine.

He was so close to my face, I couldn't help but say out loud, "I really wanna kiss you."

Randy smiled, but his expression was still full of concern. Wade mentioned idly from the chair, "You should get 'im a shower. Cold to be precise."

Randy shot Wade a vengeful glare, so Wade retorted angrily, "I meant it to wake him up an' cool his body of fever, Third Place!"

Groaning with aggravation at Wade, Randy helped me to my feet anyway and led me to the bathroom. Wade mentioned as we reached the door, "If you two fancy some fuck time, I'll wait in the hall."

"Shut the fuck up, Wade!" Randy yelled at him, then he added shortly, "If you fucking come into this bathroom for any reason, you will live to regret it."

Wade acted like he was offended that Randy would think such a thing, arguing, "I won' set foot in there with you! I don' need a reminder of your brutal nature when it comes to protectin' your precious Cena, O!"

I suddenly felt overwhelmed with sickness. I rushed to the toilet just in time to launch the contents of my stomach into it. There wasn't much beyond the water I just drank, and seeing it come back out only made me feel thirsty again.

"You alright?" Randy handed me a wet washcloth to wipe my mouth off when I finished.

"Yeah, I just feel kind of out of it right now," I admitted, again stating the obvious.

Randy went to the shower and started the water, telling me softly, "You'll feel better once you're under the water."

I stood up and started to get into the shower. Randy held my shoulders to stop me and said, "John, you didn't get your boxers off."

"Oh. Right," I feebly tugged at them.

Randy dropped slowly down to his knees and ran his thumbs along the rim of my boxers. He tugged them down over my hips and held them as they dropped all the way down to my ankles. He tenderly lifted each of my feet out of my boxers and tossed them aside, then his blue-green irises scanned over my exposed front, taking an extended moment to observe my groin before he lifted his head to analyze my face.

I already knew what he was thinking about. He was in position to take my dick in his mouth and massage it with his tongue if I asked him to, and I could see in his eyes that he _really_ wanted to, but the exhaustion that I was feeling was so strong, I knew I couldn't take anything Randy was willing to give at the moment.

"I can't. I'm sorry," I hung my head back and shut my eyes, feeling completely defeated.

Randy stood back up and urged me into the shower, telling me calmly, "Don't be sorry, John. It was a bad time to ask."

I felt the water rushing over my body as soon as I was in, but it took me several seconds before I was aware enough to complain, "The water's cold."

"It's supposed to be. Put your face in it and let it wash over you," Randy instructed me.

I closed my eyes and leaned in, letting the water steam over my features like a cool blanket wrapping all around me. I propped myself forward with my hands on the wall so I could stay in this position, feeling better and better as the water rained down on me.

I felt a sponge touch my back and I turned my head so I could open one eye and see what was going on. Randy had lathered the sponge with soap and he was running it slowly over my back. I told him honestly, "I wish you could come in here with me."

He stopped moving the sponge and made an expression as he looked at me that I had never seen on him before.

 _I may still be a little delusional, but that expression looks a lot like one of deep love._

Randy opened his mouth to respond to me, but a loud bang came from the main room, and Randy told me before leaving to check on it, "Stay here. Don't move."

I pulled the curtain closed and waited. I could hear arguing coming from the main room, but the words were all muffled. Despite Randy's instructions, I turned off the water and got out, drying off as quickly as I could. The arguing outside continued as I searched for some clothes, but the only thing around were my discarded boxers, so I put them back on and opened the bathroom door, peeking outside to find the source of the voices.

I could see Wade still in the chair, but he was frowning at Randy and Punk, who were still in the middle of arguing when I peeked out to see them. Randy became quiet and stared me down, and it took me a moment to realize that he was playing the ex-boyfriend role again. Punk turned around to face me, giving me a broad and genuine smile as he asked, "How are we feeling today, John Boy?"

 _The intensely annoying cheeriness of Punk was apparently all I needed to feel a sudden boost of energy._

"I feel as good as you look," I said sarcastically, leaving the bathroom to look for my bag.

Punk laughed insincerely and replied to Randy and Wade, "He sounds much better. This is perfect for my plans on RAW tonight."

"Wha' plans?" Wade asked suspiciously.

Punk gave Wade a look like the information was already well known. Wade frowned at him again, so Punk sighed with frustration and explained aloud, "Randal and Batista are going to debut as members of Nexus tonight. We need John for the whole storyline and for our shadow of doubt and all that good stuff."

Punk made an odd giggling sound that was similar to a dying cat. I found my bag and sorted through it apathetically while Wade continued to argue with Punk, "Wha's the plan, then?"

"Come to the arena and you can all find out," Punk said.

"Do I need to be there? I really don't want to go," I said without really thinking about it.

Punk didn't even skip a beat, saying in an tone that was eye-gouge-worthy, "Oh, of course you want to be there, John! We've got a special guest today and I don't want you to miss him!"

"Is it my dad?" I asked, feeling hopeful.

Randy gave me a sideways glance, but I couldn't tell what he was registering. Punk sighed and told me with mock sadness, "Sorry, Jonathan. Daddy isn't here today."

"Oh," I replied, noticing that I was still unusually calm but unable to comprehend why.

I put on my jeans as Punk put his hands together and added on a more positive note, "Maybe I could call up Cena Senior and have him come by for a while. How does that sound?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, considering that Punk was either lying to me or making a plan to hurt me in front of my father.

"What could we do, Wade?" Punk turned to face him.

"Excuse me?" Wade asked with a mix of confusion and anger.

Punk replied tauntingly, "No, Vickie Guerrero, you are NOT excused."

Wade narrowed his eyes and seethed, "Wanker."

Punk then looked at Randy and asked, "What do you think, Randal? Shall we invite John's paternal figure to our little event tonight?"

Randy folded his arms and cast me a dark glance before he replied to Punk, "No, because it'll ruin Cena's focus, and then you won't get the reactions from him that you want."

Punk sighed with defeat and replied, "Well, I guess you're right. Maybe later, John-John."

"Okay," I pulled on my t-shirt, paying little attention to the conversation.

:-:

Punk finished letting me get dressed and took us to the arena, which was just a few blocks from the hotel. As soon as we got there, Punk led us to the stage, where The Nexus were practicing in the ring with Batista, performing for an empty audience. The sounds of their movements on the mat echoed throughout the arena, and although I was used to the sound, it seemed extraordinarily loud to me this time. I instinctively put my hands over my ears, and Randy turned to me and asked, "What are you doing?"

His tone sounded aggravated to throw Punk off. I responded to him honestly, "The echoing is loud this time. I don't know what's different."

I saw Gabriel coming up the ramp toward us, and I put my hands down. Punk gave me a suspicious look, but continued back down to the ring with Wade. Randy lingered next to me as Gabriel looked me over and asked, "Are you safe now, John?"

"I don't feel safe," I said, feeling no need to hide the truth anymore.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me and asked, "What do you feel like?"

I looked past Gabriel at Batista, who was in the middle of throwing Otunga out of the ring. I said in a mild tone, "I feel like my nerves are raw and my stomach is about to fall out. I really just wanna go back to the hotel and fool around with Randy, but I'm so tired."

Gabriel gave me a strange look and then looked at Randy, asking quietly, "What is wrong with him? He is never this honest."

"I was thinking the same thing," Randy mentioned, then he glanced over at the ring and added, "Is that HHH over there?"

I looked over and saw HHH as well. He was sitting at ringside, watching Batista with folded arms like he was completely unimpressed. I started walking over to HHH, and Randy and Gabriel quickly followed me in-toe. I bypassed Punk and Wade, and I went right past the glares of death from The Nexus, stopping right beside HHH as I asked him out loud, "Where have you been?"

Batista stopped fighting with Otunga in the ring, and everyone turned to face me with surprised expressions. HHH slowly turned his head to look up at me, asking argumentatively, "What did you just say to me?"

I shrugged lightly and replied, "I just asked where you've been. You were out on injury forever and I didn't expect to see you back so soon."

HHH stared at me for a moment, then he glanced over my shoulder at Randy and said like I couldn't hear him, "Can you believe this guy? He talks to me like we're friends."

I hadn't realized how honestly I was addressing HHH until that moment. When he was traveling with us in the past, I usually stayed out of his way. If I worked with him, I did it with no complaints, but my relationship to HHH was formal, and our personalities never meshed well enough to be considered a friendship. It wasn't that we didn't like each other, it was just how things were, and now I was throwing caution to the wind and trying to chat with him like we were long lost pen pals.

 _It was obvious that HHH was NOT amused._

"What the hell are you doing, Cena?" Batista argued with me from the ring.

I turned to look at him and replied calmly, "I'm talking to HHH."

"Yeah, I can see that, but why?" Batista countered shortly.

I didn't consider what I was saying as I replied honestly, "Because I know that it pisses you off."

Batista started to get out of the ring. HHH stood up and raised his hands to halt Batista, saying easily, "Don't let him get you all riled up, man. Everybody knows Cena's just a big attention dope."

The Nexus all laughed together. Randy even laughed from behind me to blend in. HHH locked eyes with me, and I could see a hint of something there that I didn't expect.

 _He was just playing a character, too._

I wanted to say the revelation out loud, but I didn't know why. I opened my mouth but stopped myself before I said too much, suddenly becoming conflicted by my own thoughts. I turned around to face Punk and asked instead, "What's wrong with me?"

"What?" Punk sounded like the question was absurd.

I looked at Randy and told him, "I can't stop."

He seemed to know what I was trying to communicate without me having to say a word. Randy stayed in character regardless, asking Punk, "Could you come over here? I think Cena's having a breakdown or something."

Punk wandered over to me, but before he got close, Randy suddenly grabbed Punk by the head and pulled him down into an RKO. Randy let go of Punk's head just before he hit the floor, so Punk's skull bounced off the mat and he was knocked out cold.

Everyone stood back with shocked expressions, except for me. I just folded my arms and said honestly, "That finisher is so kick-ass when it's being done to someone else."

Randy stood up and HHH stepped forward, asking, "What the hell did you do that for, Orton?"

Pointing down at Punk, Randy stated boldly, "He deserved that. He told me I was giving Cena a harmless sedative as an injection, but it was a truth serum. That's why Cena got sick."

I thought Nexus would try to attack Randy, but Wade stopped them by adding, "Punk knows tha' Cena's allergic. He did deserve tha' finisher."

Randy turned around and left the arena. Wade took over to get The Nexus and Batista back to practicing. HHH sat back down and resumed watching Batista. Gabriel came over to me and took me by the arm to lead me away from the others as he asked, "Have you eaten, John?"

My stomach didn't churn this time as I answered, "No. I want to find Randy before we eat, though."

"I think he needs some time to be alone," Gabriel said.

"I feel sick," I said honestly.

"I do not think you are the only one," Gabriel replied.


	35. Chapter 35

35:

I turned the handle on and let my hand drift through the water coming out of the shower head. It was already warm, a luxury not usually found in a hotel room. I smiled and enjoyed the feel of the water for a moment, absently taking notice that the water was gradually getting hotter.

I took my clothes off and stepped into the shower. It was one of those nice standing ones with an off-white color that made it appear more like a sauna. The water felt hot against my skin, but I wasn't too concerned because I figured it would level out soon.

The shower door was still open, and Randy peeked his head in. His blue-green eyes grazed over the length of my body like fingernails against my skin. I smiled wickedly and tempted him, "Wanna come inside?" 

He gripped the door of the shower tightly and his eyes drifted up to meet mine as he turned his head to one side and asked dryly, "Do you think we have time?"

I couldn't remember talking to Wade about it, but I shrugged anyway, saying, "Why not?"

Randy didn't even bother to take his clothes off. He stepped into the shower and closed the door, then he surrounded me like a warm, wet blanket and began kissing me passionately.

His tongue felt hot it my mouth. It was a strange sensation, but I kept kissing him, resisting the urge to break away because I knew we didn't have much time to be together.

My dick started throbbing from the stimulation, but it too felt hot. I suddenly began to realize that the water from the shower was still getting hotter, and Randy's wet clothes were pressing up against my skin like a blanket I couldn't shake off.

Randy broke away from my lips and went down on his knees, drifting his hot tongue teasingly along the length of my shaft. It felt really, really good, and my whole body shuddered in response, but my skin was starting to burn from the water.

I tried to open my mouth and speak, but it was hard to form the words. It came out as a faint whisper, "Randy is so hot."

I didn't think that was what I meant to say, but when I tried to speak again, I got stuck forming the words again. Randy came back up to look me in the eyes, his voice sounding odd as he asked, "John?"

That voice wasn't Randy's, but it was coming from his mouth. I became confused, wondering why my body felt like it was on fire.

"John?" a warm hand grasped my shoulder and shook me awake.

I sat up and blinked a few times, trying to analyze my surroundings. I was still in the arena, probably the cafeteria section because of the strong smell of food and the fact that I was sitting at a picnic-style table. I looked up and saw Daniel Bryan, and I instantly recognized that the voice from my dream was his.

"Did you just say that Randy is hot?" Bryan asked me curiously.

I wasn't really sure what I had said, so I mumbled, "No, I think I said, 'Man, damn, it's hot.'"

"Oh. Weird," Bryan replied quietly.

"Where's Gabriel?" I rubbed one eye, trying to remember what had happened since Randy gave Punk the RKO.

"He said he had to go get somebody. He said you were sick and he wanted me to stay with you in case Punk tried to bother you," Bryan explained.

I nodded and mumbled weakly, "Oh."

My body still felt like it was on fire. The wet feeling from my dream was still on my clothes, and I realized I had been sweating to the point of being nearly drenched. Bryan sat down across from me and looked me over carefully, mentioning, "You don't look so good, Cena."

"I don't feel so good, either," I groaned.

Bryan stood up again, saying quickly, "I'll grab you some food and a drink. Gabriel said you should eat."

Eating sounded like the last thing I wanted to do, but my stomach started grumbling anyway, and Bryan was already fixing me a plate, so I didn't bother to argue. I rubbed my eyes again and tried to remember how I got to the cafeteria and when I fell asleep, but everything was just a blur swirling around in my head.

 _Swirling. Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick._

I suddenly glanced around in search of Randy. I wanted him to be near me. I vaguely remembered that he had walked off after he gave Punk the RKO, but where did he go? I had no clue. I wanted him, though, and I wanted him now.

 _My cell phone. Where's my cell phone?_

I searched all of my pockets before I remembered that I had left it in my bag in the locker room. It seemed like a long and horrendous distance to try and get to it. Bryan re-appeared in my line of vision with a plate of food and a giant cup of water. I picked up the cup and surveyed it, recognizing the design as a WWE collector's cup, and my face was staring back at me.

"Sorry, that's all they had," Bryan dismissed the cup.

I snorted a laugh and replied quietly, "I always thought the cups were the coolest part of our merchandise. They're way too expensive, though."

Bryan chuckled in response, and I turned the cup so I could see Randy's face. I started wanting him again, so I asked Bryan as innocently as possible, "Where's Orton?"

"I'm not sure. Last time I saw him, he was barreling down the hallway, so I just moved out of his way and didn't say a damn word," Bryan informed me.

All sense of hope left me and I tried to turn my focus onto the food.

 _Chips. Hamburger. Something...green. Ugh...green..._

"That's just some spinach leaves," Bryan pointed to the green thing, adding quickly, "I know you're not a vegetarian, but I think it's important to have at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal."

I nodded, but reached for the chips first. They tasted like barbeque and they went down pretty easy. I practically sucked down the water in my collector's cup, and Bryan refilled it three times before I had finished all but the green on my plate.

 _Green...I'm gonna throw up...green...throw up...green...throw up..._

"Do you want me to just take the plate?" Bryan must've seen the desperation on my face.

"Oh God, yes," I shoved the plate aside as quickly as I could and downed the rest of my water in one gulp.

Bryan trashed the plate and came back, asking me, "You want another refill? You're sure guzzling that water down fast."

"Yeah. Refill, I mean," I handed the cup to him.

"JONATHAN!" I heard the most annoying voice in the world boom from behind me.

The food had energized me, but I still felt weak enough that I didn't want to deal with Punk's rage. I kept my head down and waited for him to come to me. Bryan stood at the ready, although he looked like a dope with the big collector's cup still in his hand.

Punk slapped his hands against the table and leaned in so closely to my face, I could smell the decaf on his breath as he asked me in a mock-kind tone, "Where pray tell, is your B.F.F. Randal?"

I had no intention of pissing off Punk further, but the truth serum had not completely worn off yet, and since I didn't know where Randy was, I asked the question that was on my mind, "What's B.F.F.? Best Fucking Friends?"

Bryan turned his head to one side and stared at me like he thought I might be having a stroke. Punk laughed dryly but ignored my question, saying instead, "If you don't know where he is, then I'll ask Danny Boy here."

Punk turned his attention to Bryan, stating boldly, "Tell me, Nexus reject, where can I find Mr. Orton?"

"Fuck you," Bryan answered defiantly.

Punk pressed his palms together and said passively, "I guess everyone's on the subject of fucking nowadays."

He refocused on me and explained, "You are going to get up and follow me. We are going to look for Randal. You would like to know where he is, wouldn't you?"

I _did_ want to know. I nodded despite myself, but Bryan tried to keep Punk from influencing me as he shouted, "You're not going anywhere with Cena!"

Punk turned to Bryan to say something spiteful, but the cafeteria door opened again and I turned around to see Wade coming in. He walked over to us and said strongly, "Tha's enough, Punk."

"What? I haven't even done anything yet," Punk put his arms out and mocked innocence.

Wade stood tall just inches from Punk and stated again, "Enough."

There was a moment of silence where the two just stared at each other, then Punk made a wicked half-smile and said, "You think you're the real boss around here, don't you?"

"Wha'?" Wade barked, but Punk ignored him, shouting, "I don't like you, Wade. I've decided that our co-existence is just a matter of co-dependence, with _you_ depending on _me_. Your fired from The Nexus, Wade. I'm taking over as the new leader."

Scoffing, Wade replied shortly, "An' just who is goin' to back you up on this? Nexus is _my_ plan. Tha' means they follow _my_ orders, not yours."

"You may not have noticed much, but your Nexus has joined _my_ ranks since you betrayed them and started giving a shit about what happens to Cena," Punk pointed at me.

I looked at Wade, but he didn't dare look at me. I looked back at Punk and he continued, "Nexus knows that you're helping Cena because you're afraid of Randy and you want to impress your heartbroken former fuck-buddy, Gabriel. By the way, I made sure Gabriel's painkillers were laced with drugs because I wanted him to to fear you. I knew he'd run to Cena and you'd chase after him and it would all lead up to this moment, when I could fire you and have Orton, Cena and Gabriel all to myself!"

Wade grabbed Punk by the throat, but Punk reacted fast and slipped out of Wade's grip, jerking his head forward as Punk and Wade's skulls cracked together.

"SHITE!" Wade cried out, grabbing his broken nose as he fell backward onto the floor.

"What the fuck?" Bryan shouted, totally confused by Punk's words as well as his actions.

Punk took a cheap shot and connected with Bryan's jaw. Bryan hit the floor and passed out cold. Punk grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to my feet, seething into my ear, "Follow me outside or I will pump you with more drugs."

I was still reeling from the last dose, and I was sure someone would see us before we made it out of the arena, so I followed Punk's lead, waiting patiently for an opportunity to stop him.

We went through a series of hallways, and I looked around carefully as we passed, completely confident that someone, _anyone_ would come out and see us.

 _I was hoping for another wrestler, but I would take just about anyone who could run fast enough to get help. A Diva. An announcer. A referee. That guy with the headphones and clipboard that heels like Miz and Sheamus shove off-camera during live shows..._

But there was no one around. Punk had conveniently picked the only hallways that were totally absent of human beings.

 _Fuck my luck._

We took the truck entrance to get outside, and Punk led me to his car. He opened the passenger door and told me, "Get in."

"No," I shook my head and stepped back.

Punk rolled his eyes at me and sighed like I was being a difficult child. He explained shortly, "I'm not going to do anything to you and I won't fill you with drugs. I just need to cruise around with you for a while for the sake of leverage, now get in the car."

 _I may be running on only half my wits at the moment, but I still wasn't stupid enough to get into Punk's car._

"Dammit, Cena, get into the FUCKING CAR!" Punk yelled.

I saw something move behind Punk, and I looked up just as a shadow in a trench coat and a black brimmed hat grabbed Punk by the back of his neck. The shadow slammed Punk's head into his own car, knocking Punk out as his body thudded against the pavement.

The shadow stepped into the light and reached out his biker gloved hand to me, saying to me in a familiar graveling voice, "Come with me, John Cena."

I had to blink a few times to realize it was The Undertaker, or Mark, as I knew him. I became confused, wondering why the most prominent member of the Smackdown roster was standing in the RAW parking lot, reaching out a helping hand to me. A random thought came to mind, and I said aloud, "I didn't think I was really that sick, but if I'm being asked to walk with The Undertaker...wait a minute! Mark? Are you the _real_ undertaker?!"

He rolled his eyes and stated, "Of course not, John, you're not _that_ sick. Then again, after what you just said, I'm beginnin' to question how bad off Randy told me you'd be..."

"Randy? Where is he?" I blurted.

Mark held out his gloved hand to me again and instructed me, "Focus, John. Come with me."

"Okay," I said, taking hold of his wrist.

Mark led me through the parking lot until we reached a black truck on the other side. He told me to get in, then he drove us away from the arena.

"Where are we going?" I asked, confused.

"It doesn't matter. We just need to get you safe," Mark told me.

I leaned back and my eyes started to droop. I mentioned before I drifted off, "Don't listen to me if I talk about Randy in my sleep."

"It's okay, kid, I already know," Mark's voice faded as I lost consciousness.


	36. Chapter 36

36:

I opened my eyes. I glanced around. I was in a bedroom that I didn't recognize, covered in warm blankets with a fresh pair of clothes on.

 _Shit. Who changed my clothes? It better have been Randy or I'll be pissed._

My head was clear and I didn't feel feverish anymore. I sat up with ease, noticing that my energy was back. I looked off to my right and saw a familiar face resting in the chair next to my bed.

 _No. It can't possibly be him._

He opened his eyes like he had heard exactly what I was thinking. He stood up and came over to greet me, and all I could manage to say was, "Daddy?"

"Johnny, my boy," he wrapped his arms around me, and I just started sobbing.

Dad kept his arms around me, whispering to me softly, "I missed you so much, Johnny."

"You have no idea how much I missed you, Dad," I cried.

I turned my head to one side so I didn't soak Dad's shirt with my tears, and I saw Randy standing in the doorway with a quiet smile on his face. I mouthed a thank you at him and he gave me a quick nod before he closed the door and left us alone.

:-:

I don't know how long I cried. Dad didn't say a word. He just kept holding me the whole time, like he knew all that I had been through and he knew that I needed to get it out. When I could finally stay calm enough to speak, I told him, "I wanted to see you so many times. Things have just been crazy."

Dad let me go and sat down on the bed to look me in the eyes as he replied, "So I've heard. I had plans to come in and see you anyway, even with those big, ugly looking wrestlers trying to keep me away, but I knew it would only make things worse on you, son, and I didn't want that."

I smiled and said, "I'm glad you're here now."

He pointed at the door with his thumb and explained, "Young Randal arranged for me to see you. I'm glad he did, I had some medicine to counter your allergy attack."

I was surprised that he had something, but he waved his hand and added, "It was just some allergy medication and a few tricks I picked up from your mother."

I became more serious and confessed, "Dad, I need you to know something. Randy and I have been friends for a long time, you know that, but recently...we've become more than that."

He narrowed his eyes like he wasn't quite following me, so I clarified, "I'm in love with Randy Orton, and he's in love with me."

Dad's brow lifted and he nodded his head. I waited for him to start in on me, but instead, he replied simply, "Well, whatever makes you happy, son."

He got up and started to leave, adding, "Take a shower and get downstairs. We've got supper waiting for you."

"Wait! You're not mad?" I asked, confused.

Dad stopped and turned back to face me, saying somberly, "I've spent the last few months worried sick about you, son. I couldn't see you, I couldn't talk to you, and I didn't know until a few days ago that I was being followed by friends of those wrestlers trying to keep me away from you, and the only person who gave enough of a damn to tell me what the hell was going on every single day was your Randal."

My mouth dropped open in shock. I had no clue Randy was keeping contact with my dad like that. He sighed heavily and finished with, "If there was anyone I would owe the world to, it would be young Randal. He cared about you and protected you when I couldn't. If he chooses to express that to you in other ways, and you consent to it, being mad is the last thing on my mind."

With that, he left the room. I sat there for a long time, just feeling completely content.

 _The only people that mattered knew the truth now, and they were okay with it. That's all I really needed to know._

:-:

I showered, dressed, and went downstairs for dinner. The sun was still setting and casting a soft yellow glow throughout the house as I maneuvered my way to the kitchen. From the layout, I appeared to be in a vacation home, and the view from outside showed a gorgeous lake nearby. As soon as I reached the kitchen, I was greeted by Dad and Mark, who both hugged me hello, then I saw Cody Rhodes seated at the kitchen island munching chips and watching WWE Superstars on a tiny TV. He glanced over at me when I came near and said, "Wassup, CenDude?"

I shook my head at his odd use of a nickname and asked, "Where's Randy."

Cody pointed behind us at the sliding glass doors, saying passively, "He's out on the patio."

I turned to look and saw Randy just a few feet from the doors, leaning against the railing of the patio and staring out at the sunset, his gaze distant like he was lost in that place again where I could never follow.

"I always wonder where he goes when he's inside his head," I mentioned aloud.

Cody looked at me and replied, "Don't you know? He's thinking about _you_ when he gets lost in that place."

"Me?" I asked with complete surprise.

Cody added, "Well, yeah! He's been making that dopey lost boy look for as long as you two have known each other, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I hadn't really thought about it until Cody said something.

Sighing with frustration, Cody asked me, "Think about it, John. Who else would Randy care about enough to put that much deep thought into? You're obviously the one true voice inside of his head."

I could barely believe it. I stared at Randy through the glass doors, wondering what he was thinking about now that had to do with me.

Dad waved at me as he and Mark left the kitchen, telling me, "We'll be in the living room, son."

I nodded in acknowledgment and made my way out to the patio, coming to stand beside Randy as I said quietly, "I told my dad about us."

Randy's blue-green eyes looked at me with concern as he asked, "How'd he take it?"

"He was happy that I was happy. He says he owes the world to you," I smiled.

Randy scoffed and replied, "I probably owe him more than that for letting you become a professional wrestler. I never would've met you otherwise."

I paused to look out at the lake, then I asked, "So where is this place?"

"My parents used to take me here as a kid. It's probably the only place I didn't think Punk would ever find us," Randy replied.

"Thank you," I said after a short silence.

"For what?" Randy asked dryly.

"For saving Gabriel. For saving my dad. For saving me," I answered.

Randy closed his eyes and sighed heavily, mentioning, "The cheese, Cena."

"Doesn't matter, I want to say it. I _need_ to say it," I told him.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't save you from everything. I had no clue about Batista, and Punk is still trying to be a little bitch," Randy tried to downplay his heroism.

I grabbed him and pulled him into me, wrapping my arms around him and burying my head in his chest. He was surprised at first, then he slowly put his arms around me, running his fingers through the short hair on top of my head like he always did to show wordless affection. I started to feel choked up again, so I got the words out before it would be too hard to say them, "I love you, Randy Orton."

He pressed his lips against the top of my head, then he squeezed me tightly and replied, "I love you too, John Cena."

I moved my head to look up at him, and he started to lean in to kiss me, but a strange sound made us both turn our heads in the direction of the sliding glass doors.

Cody was on the other side with his lips sucking against the glass, mocking our attempt at a romantic moment. I started laughing hysterically and broke away from Randy. Cody continued sucking the glass as Randy stormed over to the doors and tried to open them to get inside, but Cody had conveniently locked them. Randy stared at Cody's hilarious scrunched face and exploded lips still sucking the glass, deliberating on what to do, then Randy suddenly flicked the glass with his fingers right where Cody's nose was.

Cody grabbed his nose and fell away from the glass, shouting, "Ow, my face! Not the face!"

 _I had used the term 'laughing my ass off' before, but this was one of those moments where I thought it truly applied._

:-:

Randy stayed up and watched TV with me while everyone else went to sleep. We waited until we were sure the others were completely out before Randy and I sneaked back upstairs together.

I took my clothes off before Randy could tear them off. He wasn't happy about that, but I smiled and told him, "I'll let you tear something off later."

He seemed satisfied with that condition, and I we fell against each other on the bed as I pulled off Randy's t-shirt, then I made him stay down so I could slowly remove his jeans and boxers.

I pulled then down to his knees, but I didn't completely take them off, making it hard for him to move his legs. Randy stared at me with anxious confusion, waiting for me to hurry up so that he could pounce on me again.

I wanted to show my appreciation to him for all he had done for me in the last few days. With Randy's legs mostly restrained by his own jeans, I pushed against his hips with my hands to hold him in place, then I leaned down and licked the underside of his dick.

Randy let out a sound that I hadn't heard him make before. It was like an outcry that was stifled by a moan. I leaned down further and touched his balls with the tip of my tongue, and he let out another moan, pounding his fists against the mattress as he breathed, "John."

 _Damn. I thought he'd like this, but I didn't expect him to be so...responsive._

I came back up and took the tip of his erection into my mouth, suckling it lightly. Randy covered his face with his hands and groaned with satisfaction, his legs struggling against the restraint of his jeans. I pushed down harder against his hips and slid my mouth a little further over his shaft, continuing the light, deliberate suction to tease him.

Randy chanted my name as he moaned, and the more I took him in, the louder he got. I was beginning to worry that he was being too loud, when Randy grabbed a nearby pillow and held it over his face to stifle the noise. I wanted to laugh because he was going to crazy over what I was doing, but I was enjoying this too much.

His dick tasted like a mix of salt, sweat, and something else I had never tasted before. It wasn't a really great taste, but it wasn't bad, either. I could feel his erection throbbing against my tongue, and all I wanted to do was make him come so I could taste _that_ , too.

Randy took the pillow off of his face and tossed it aside. He grabbed the headboard and pulled violently against it to release the building tension, calling out to me, "Oh, fuck, John!"

I knew he was about to peak, so I stopped sucking and completely relaxed so I could swallow Randy's entire shaft, which wasn't easy, considering his larger size. He completely filled out my mouth, and I could feel the very tip of his dick tickling my tonsils.

"FUCK!" I heard Randy shriek, followed by a loud CRACK!

I let him go just as Randy came, missing the chance to taste his ending. I looked up at him and asked, "What the hell happened?"

He looked as shocked as I was. We both looked down at his left hand, where he was holding a large chunk of the headboard, and we realized at the same time that the cracking noise was the sound of Randy breaking off a piece.

I laughed and said, "Oh shit, that's amazing!"

"Whoopsy," Randy joked dryly, tossing the piece to the floor.

There was a knock at the door, then Cody asked us from the other side, "Are you two alright in there?"

"Fine," Randy shouted back shortly.

Cody continued to torment us, asking through the door, "Are you guys doing something kinky in there? Should I be worried? I'm in the bedroom below yours, and if both of your ugly, naked bodies come crashing down on me through the ceiling, I'm gonna be so traumatized..."

"GO AWAY!" Randy and I shouted to Cody at once.

Cody made a loud and exaggerated sigh, then we could hear him noisily making his way back down the hallway. When I was sure he was gone, I turned to Randy with a wicked smile and asked, "Want to do it rough so we can scare him?"

Randy chuckled and I came up to meet his lips. He parted my lips and his tongue pushed its way in, exploring my mouth regardless that it tasted like his dick. He kicked off his jeans the rest of the way while we made out, then when we broke away from each other, I told Randy, "I want you to fuck me the way I see you thinking about when you give me your Viper's stare."

Smiling wryly like he ached for the chance, Randy looked away and said quietly, "I don't know if you're gonna like that."

I gripped his shoulders tightly so he would look back at me, then I said boldly, "I'd like anything you do to me."

Randy took one of the pillow cases and tore it into pieces. He used one piece to tie my wrists together above my head, then he used the other piece to tie my ankles so that my legs were fastened tightly around his waist. He put on a condom and slipped inside of me in the position where I was facing him, then he held me down and began fucking me hard.

He started off deliberate...one...two...three...his hips making quick, hard thrusts in, then he would take his time pulling mostly out before making a quick, hard thrust back in again.

I was experiencing more pain than usual, but I was also feeling more pleasure than usual, so when Randy stopped for a moment to wordlessly ask me with his eyes if he should keep going, I nodded and moaned, "Yes, keep going, please..."

He began thrusting in faster motions, but kept his strength on the same level of roughness. He slowly pulled his left hand out of my grasp, then he clasped his palm around my throat, pressing his thumb against my Adam's apple just enough to make my insides tingle anxiously as he leaned in and whispered, "Do you like that?"

"Yes," I breathed, staring into the depths of his dilated eyes.

"Then say it," he ordered me, brushing his lips teasingly along my own as he pounded into me once more.

I groaned with the pleasure of feeling him balls-deep inside of me, then I told him, "I like that."

He pulled out and pounded into me again, tightening his grip around my throat so that I could still breathe easily while simultaneously feeling the threat of possibly losing that same breath. It was so stimulating, I couldn't take it anymore.

My knees squeezed against Randy's hips as I came hard, my seed erupting onto his stomach. He didn't pull out right away, but lingered inside of me as he stared deeply into my eyes. He slowly untied my wrists, then he took my right hand and brought it down to his stomach. He used my index finger to wipe off some of my cum, then he brought my hand back up to his face and licked it off of my finger, making a satisfied grin as he swallowed it and said, "Mmm...salty."

"You are such a freak," I said jokingly.

He leaned into me and replied dryly, "Yeah? I'll bet you like that, too."

"Oh hell yes, I like that," I grinned.

:-:

 _ **-Inside CM Punk's Head-**_

Vincent McMahon had called me into his office. I assumed it was because Randal and Johnathan had gone missing, and I was the prime suspect. The fact that I had broken Wade's nose and dislocated Daniel Bryan's jaw before said disappearance didn't help my case.

I took a seat in the guest chair and Vincent leaned against his desk, folding his arms and giving me his usual intimidating stare-down.

 _He thought it made people fear him, but it just made me laugh._

"So, what seems to be the problem, sir?" I asked politely.

Vincent sighed and his expression went blank.

 _Here come the accusations. I'm well prepared._

"Punk, your contract with the WWE is about to come up for renewal, and I've asked you here because I don't think I want to re-sign you," Vincent told me.

 _Fucker. Cunt-ass lying sack of shit-faced weasel fucking self-righteous pig-headed asshole..._

"Really? What may I ask is the problem?" I said calmly, despite my racing mind.

My mind continued cursing as Vincent explained passively, "You're just not a big part of the storyline right now. I don't really have a lot of use for you."

I badly stifled a laugh to aggravate him, then I stated loudly, "I'm the leader of The Nexus, sir! I think that counts for something!"

Vincent nodded like he knew I would bring that up, then he told me, "Look, frankly, you're not a big bet for Nexus. Wade was the creator of the group, and now he, Gabriel and Slater want to head to Smackdown."

"Perfect! That means I can design it the way it should be," I interrupted.

Vincent narrowed his eyes at me, so I sat back and let him finish, "Punk, you're not the biggest part of Nexus. Cena, Orton and even Batista make more headlines than you in this business, which means they've got so much more potential to carry the sign of the leader."

 _Cock sucking ass fucker sick fat fucking psycho asshole shitting carpet muncher fucking skunk..._

"Well then, make Batista the leader! I can live with that!" I offered.

Vincent stared at me like I was little more than an infant to him.

 _I want to push you into the wall and watch your skull bounce off of it._

"You're not understanding me here, Punk..." Vincent started.

"No, I think I understand! You want to get rid of me because you think it's for the good of the company, and I'm telling you it's not!" I countered, letting my anger boil to the surface.

Vincent warned me with his eyes not to interrupt again. I waited and he explained with more agitation in his voice, "I've been looking into your background since you publicly announced yourself as co-leader of Nexus."

 _Leader, asshole. I'm the leader._

Motioning to several file folders on his desk, Vincent explained further, "I know that you had a half-brother named Lincoln "Blackshaw" Brooks. He was an amateur wrestler in England and you two had very opposite personalities, but remained close."

 _How could he know about Lincoln? Fuck._

"Lincoln was working his way to the top when he met another amateur wrestler, whom we know as Wade Barrett."

 _He's telling me this to scare me. There's no way he knows enough to stop me._

I sat back and listened intently as Vince continued, "Lincoln was complaining that Wade was stalking him, then Lincoln suddenly disappeared. It seemed like an open-and-shut case, until I dug a little deeper and it turns out that Lincoln's close friends all said he had a very severe drug problem, and they all said he most likely died of an overdose."

My eyes widened a little but I betrayed no emotion. Vincent paused to let it sink in before he revealed to me, "Wade was not stalking Lincoln. Wade was trying to help Lincoln, but he didn't want it."

 _Liar. Stupid...FUCKING LIAR!_

I shifted in my seat and tried to keep my emotions in check. Vincent just kept going, "I have a theory here, Punk. I think you, being the straight-edge man, went a little off the deep end after your brother's death from the very drugs that you chose never to put into your body. You probably did all the research you could about how drugs affected the body and what kinds of drugs there were out there, trying to understand what your brother did. I think that Wade tried to help your brother, but you needed someone to blame, and because your brother was trying to make Wade look bad for helping him, you decided to point the finger at Wade because he was an easy target."

I stared blankly at Vincent as he leaned in and told me, "I think you were hoping that Wade would get signed to WWE so that you could exact your revenge. Wade started obsessing over Cena, and you twisted it all around in your mind so that you believed what Wade was doing to Cena was exactly what he did to your brother. You used Cena as an opportunity to get to Wade, and you dragged Randy into it, and The Nexus into it, and even Batista and eventually the entirety of both rosters. What surprised me was that you disguised yourself so well, I was sure you were after Cena, but in reality, it was all about Wade."

 _Fuck. He knows._

"You don't have anything to back this little fantasy of yours up, sir," I said calmly.

Shrugging, Vincent nodded and told me, "Yes, you're right about that, but I do have the power to do what I want with you while you're under contract with _my_ company.

 _Oh, shit._

Vincent stood up straight and stated loudly, "I think I'm going to have Randy and John break away from Nexus. John will go solo, and Randy will turn on the rest of the Nexus members and eliminate them through various matches on RAW until it's just you left. I think I'll have him take you on at Wrestlemania, and he'll basically get to do whatever he wants to do to you in that ring, and if I like what I see, I might decide to renew your contract."

"You can't do this..." I started.

Vincent turned on his heel to leave, but stopped mid-step to turn back and tell me, "Your games will stop, Punk. You will become a normally functioning member of this roster, and you will do as I say, or you will find yourself in a whole mess of legal trouble when everyone finds out that you've been administering illegal drugs to other wrestlers, one of many in a long list of offenses I would just love to tell my lawyers about."

I continued to stare at him with a devoid expression. He smiled shortly at me and said, "Oh, and one more thing: if Randy decides to do something crazy while you're in the ring with him on RAW or at Wrestlemania, and he breaks your nose or your arm or something, just go with it. If you fuck up, it's really bad for business."

Then he walked out, slamming the door and leaving me alone in the silence.

:-:

Mark got the call from McMahon that Punk was done. Gabriel called Randy an hour later to fill him in on the new storyline for The Nexus, including Wade, Gabriel and Slater's move to Smackdown, as well as Randy's free reign to obliterate what was left of The Nexus.

I said good-bye to my dad, then Randy and I drove in his truck to get to the next arena, while Mark and Cody took off in their own car to get back to Smackdown. I was smiling like an idiot all through our drive, overwhelmed with joy that Randy and I were free, and things were finally going back to normal.

"Hey Randy, I want to ask you a serious question," I beamed.

Rolling his eyes, he asked dryly, "What?"

"When they legalize gay marriage, are you going to marry me in the ring like I've always dreamed?" I tried really hard not to laugh.

Randy scoffed and replied in his usual dry sense of humor, "Of course not. Everyone will think it's another shitty storyline and I'm too afraid Kane will burst through the ring like he did at Lita and Edge's wedding."

I busted out laughing. Randy shuddered and added, "Kane's freaky-ass coming out of that ring still gives me nightmares."

I stopped laughing to catch my breath, then I asked more seriously, "Do you ever think about it, though? I mean us, being together...forever?"

Randy's expression hardened, and I could see him going off into that place inside his head again.

 _He looks more endearing now that I know he's thinking about me when he's in there._

I slid across the seat so that I could be closer to him, then I rested my head on his shoulder and waited for him to come back and answer me.

"I think about it all the time," he whispered, kissing the top of my head before returning his focus to the road.

THE END


End file.
